This Beautiful Mess
by ShesInLoveWithTheBoy
Summary: It's been 5 years; Their family fell apart & It was obvious that he was falling apart too, but; In the process of helping him; wil he bring her down with him? And will she be as obvious about her problems? DASEY; Rated M to be safe
1. Beautiful Mess

**I own nothing (:**

_She was 21, beautiful, smart, together, confident, and living happily in her own apartment._

_He was 22, an addict, a drop-out, falling apart, cocky, and moving back and fourth from friend's basements._

_She hadn't seen him since she was 16 and their parents got a divorce._

_He had nowhere else to go, and she was his last choice._

_Will they learn to find happiness in this mess?_

_-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- __-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_

"Derek, I haven't seen you in 5 years?" Casey said into her pink sidekick phone as she walked up the street and sipped her Starbucks iced coffee.

Her heels clapped the side walk and her hair flew back in the wind.

"Please, Case. Nobody is letting me stay with them." He begged as he leaned against a brick wall in a small, dirty alley.

"Here's a thought, Get a job and buy your own place." She rolled her eyes, he hasn't changed much.

"Please." He whispered.

She sighed and held her eyes closed, stopping in her tracks.

"Where are you?" She asked, starting to walk again.

"5th and Granded. Where are you?" He asked, hopping up onto his feet.

"Walking home from work. You know, its actually really rewarding, I don't have to beg anybody for anything." She said sarcastically.

Derek sighed and started to walk out of the alley.

"Turn around." She said blankly, shutting the phone.

He whipped around and saw her standing there.

She looked better then ever.

Her hair was longer and curlier. She had on a short pink skirt, matching her high heels and white half-jacket over a light pink tank top.

She looked him up and down.

He was waring baggy jeans and a white beater. His strawberry blond hair flipping up under a blue, Toronto Maple Leaves cap, and he had a big duffel bag hanging over his shoulder.

He was just as she pictured he would be at 22.

She rolled her eyes and walked past him. He smirked and followed behind her.

"Are we going to your apartment?" Derek asked, catching up to her.

"I guess so." She said, in an angry and annoyed tone.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, OK? I have nowhere else to go." He said.

"Yea, I know. You only told me 500 times." Casey said, sipping on her drink some more.

Derek reached into his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"You can afford to be addicted cigarettes, but not an apartment.. Hmmm." Casey said, looking down at them.

Derek smirked again and pulled one out. "Yep." He said, not caring.

He pulled it out of his mouth.

"Nope. Not if your staying with me." Casey said, smiling and taking the pack out of his hands.

"YO!" Derek tried to grab them but she held them behind her.

"Look, you can smoke them, but not in my apartment. Deal?" Casey said, slowly bringing them in front of her.

"Deal." He said, pulling them quickly out of her hand.

She nodded her head and they started to walk again.

"How can you smoke those things? Their so gross." Casey sneered, watching him light it up.

"Their also addicting. Like other stuff." Derek smirked.

Casey's face drooped and she stopped walking.

"Like what kind of stuff?" She folded her arms, she knew the answer, yet she was scared to hear it.

Derek reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small plastic baggy.

Casey squinted her eyes and looked inside of it.

There was a white powder. Her jaw dropped and she snatched it out of his hands.

"Hey!" He yelled, trying to fight for it harder then he fought for the cigarettes.

"I let you slide with the cigarettes, but not with this, Derek!" Casey yelled.

"Okay fine, I'll be done after that." He said, pointing to the bag.

"No, You'll be done _now_." Casey said, dropping the bag down the sewer.

Derek's face looked shocked. "Why would you do that!?" He yelled, looking down the sewer.

"You live under my roof, you live with my rules." Casey smiled and started to walk. She always wanted to say that.

He could tell it was going to be just like old times.

He ran up to her, gently bumping her arm. "You know, if you were anybody else, and not my 'ex-step sister' you probably would have died." Derek said, blankly and annoyed.

"Oh great, so your a murderer too." Casey rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm not. Its an expression." Derek shook his head and swung his bag over to his other shoulder.

"Hows Edwin and Marti?" Casey asked, trying to change the subject.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them in months." Derek said, starting to miss them all over again.

"Oh, a family man too." Casey said sarcastically, patting his shoulder.

"Look, you don't know the story." Derek shot out, mad and serious.

"Sor-ry." Casey said, pulling her hand back to herself.

"Hows Liz?" He asked, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Shes good." Casey smiled, thinking of how old she was getting.

"And Nora?" Derek pretended to care.

"Good. George?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I don't know about him either." Derek looked hurt as she mentioned him.

She just nodded her head.

It was a shame that their marriage ended the way it did.

As they looked at the city in front of them, all they could think about was that day.

There was screaming and crying. Fighting and insults. It was too much to handle. Derek and Casey had to take the kids to Emily's house, they were all in tears.

Nora caught George cheating on her with a woman from his job.

That was the day she packed up their things and left. Casey always admired her mother for being strong, but she also was shamed in her.

As she threw their clothes into their bags, she didn't once think of how this would affect the kids.

Lizzie wouldn't trust _any _male, no matter who he was, or how old he was.

Edwin refused to have any relationships.

Marti blamed her father for everything, she was so young, and didn't deserve to be put through those sort of things.

Derek turned to drugs to fix his problems. And you can see how far that got him.

Casey talked to Paul for almost 4 hours 3 days a week, yet she still was on medication for depression.

She was just proud of how good she was doing today.

"Its sucked that they got a divorce." Derek said, blowing out the smoke from his lungs.

Casey nodded her head. She hadn't talked to anybody about it in years, she was just shocked that the first person, in that long, to bring it up was Derek.

"I know it kinda felt like we had to take sides that day, but just so you know, I never blamed your mom." Derek said, surprised with himself for saying that.

Casey smiled.

"Thanks."


	2. Driving Everybody Away

**I own nothing (:**

Lizzie walked up the steps to Casey's apartment. They were going shopping today because they haven't seen each other in weeks.

She pulled out her key and stuck it into the door. As she walked in she saw a bunch of blankets bundled up on the couch, and hear somebody snoring. She knew it wasn't Casey, but she didn't know who it could be.

She gentaly pulled the blankets back.

"AHHHHHH!" They both screamed.

Lizzie jumped back and put her hands over her mouth, her heart beating so fast it was unsafe.

Derek quickly sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Derek!?" Lizzie asked, stepping closer to him.

"Whoa, Liz." He said, looking her up and down. She was so much older. She looked like an adult.

She was now 17.

Casey ran into the living room, wondering what was going on.

"What happened!?" She yelled.

Lizzie quickly walked over to her and pulled her into the kitchen.

"What is he doing here!?" She whispered, letting go of her arm.

"He needed a place to stay." Casey whispered back, poking her head into the living room.

Derek nodded his head and chuckled, he could hear everything.

"What will mom say!?" Lizzie whispered, pulling her back.

Casey looked at her. She looked so helpless.

"He talked me into it!" She whispered.

Lizzie shook her head and folded her arms. "What if he steals your money or something?"

Casey sighed and looked back into the living room. "Fine. He'll come with us." Casey started to walk away.

"That not what I meant!?" But she was already telling him to come by the time Lizzie said that.

--

They walked across the mall, Derek looking every girl up and down and smiling or winking at them. It made Casey sick.

"Can you _not _flirt for like, 2 seconds!?" She yelled, smacking his arm.

"Ow!" He grabbed his arm and made a fake sad face.

"Classic Casey and Derek." Lizzie whispered to herself.

"Shut up, Its mom." Casey said as she flipped her phone open.

--

"Hey mom." Casey said with a smile.

"Hi sweetie. Are you still with Lizzie?" Nora asked in a pleasant voice.

"Yep. Were at the mall." Casey looked over to Derek and Lizzie, then pointed to a store across from them.

Lizzie and Derek nodded their heads and walked into the store while Casey stayed outside.

"Mom, When was the last time you talked to George?" Casey asked, getting serious.

"When we were going through the divorce. Why?" Nora sat down at her kitchen table. She was wondering why she wanted to know.

Casey sighed and looked at Derek and Lizzie inside of the store. "Derek is staying with me."

Nora's eyes grew big and her heart beat got faster. "Why in the world is he staying with you!?" She was angry.

"He had nowhere to go!" Casey was starting to feel bad that none of her family cared about him anymore.

"Casey, hes an addict! Hes nothing but trouble, you don't know what your getting your self into!" Nora yelled into the phone.

Casey flipped the phone shut. She didnt want to hear it.

She smiled as Derek and Lizzie came out of the store.

She looked Derek up and down. "Derek, you wore those pants yesterday?" She said in disgust.

"Yea, well, I dont have much of a choice." He looked upset.

Casey's face fell. She felt horrible. "Well, I'll buy you some more." She said without thinking.

She grabbed his arm and took him into the men's store in front of them.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. If only Casey knew why he didnt have any money. Other than the fact he blew it all on drugs.

There was something else he was loosing his money over. And Casey was the only one who didnt know what it was.

--

They all carried a bunch of bags into the small apartment.

Casey sighed and plopped down on the couch. "Do you like the new clothes?" She asked Derek as he sat down next to her.

"Yea, Thanks." Even Derek thought she was being too generous.

"Well I have to go now. Bye sis. Bye Derek." Lizzie waved and walked out of the house.

Casey looked up at Derek. "You don't have to tell me, but, how come you don't see them family anymore?" Casey asked, leaning forward.

Derek sighed and looked down at her.

"Honestly, I was stupid. I screwed up, now my dad doesn't want me in their lives. Edwins 18 now. He could see me if he wanted to, but he hates me." Derek shook his head and looked down at the floor.

"He cant _hate _you. Your his brother." Casey put her hand on his shoulder.

"Just stop, Case." Derek said, standing up.

"Stop what?" She looked so confused.

"Stop trying to be so nice. You hated me back then now all the sudden you wanna save me!?" Derek started to walk to the door.

"Where are you going!?" She yelled, standing up.

Derek held his hands up to his mouth as if he was smoking a cigarette.

"Your gonna go and buy fucking drugs when your just fine staying here!?" She walked over to him, but he slammed the door on his face.

"At least take the damn clothes!" She yelled, picking up the bag.

"Dont you have a boyfriend or something!? Give them to him! I don't need your pity presents!" Derek yelled as he ran down the steps.

"UGHHH!" Casey slammed the door and hit it with her fist.

"I should have known he would never change!" She yelled to herself in her empty apartment.

She didn't have a boyfriend. She didn't have anybody.

And she was so tried of being lonely. That was part of the reason she was letting him stay with her.

But it seemed like she couldn't hold on to _anybody._

A tear started to fall from her eye and she fell on to the floor.

--

Derek walked down the street. He was tired of people felling sorry for him.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?" A young woman picked up the phone. She was young, much younger then Derek.

"I'm coming over." He said in an angry tone.

"Whats wrong with you?" She asked, concerned.

"Nothing. I wanna see Jamie." Derek said sternly into the phone.

"Shes been asking about you all day..." She said.

--

**Hmmm, I wonder who Jamie is... ? Reveiw and find out (:**


	3. Drugs And Kids Dont Mix

**Before you start to read, I just wanted to apologize, I've never been high, or around somebody who was. So I am incredibly sorry if that part sucks. haha. Also, I hope it wasn't too OOC. **

**And thanks for the reviews, pleaseee leave more (:**

**I don't own Life With Derek (:**

Derek walked up the steps to an old, ugly house.

He knocked on the big wooden door. A few seconds later, he could hear a small child running around and laughing.

It made him smile. The door opened and a young girl was standing there with an even younger girl attached to her leg.

"Hey, Sadie." Derek smiled and looked down at the smaller girl. "Jamieeeee." He sang and she jumped into his arms.

"Daddy!" She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he spun her around.

She smiled, making Derek's heart melt. He swore she would be the only girl in his world for the rest of his life.

He set her down and looked at her. Her strawberry blond was in two pigtails on either side of her head. She had on a purple shirt with a pink heart on it, and denim overalls.

Sadie was 14. Jamie was 5. Jamie was Sadie's niece.

Sadie had a sister, her name was Lina, but she died 3 years ago. She was addicted to drugs, and one night, she took a lot more then her body could handle.

Lina and Derek were going out for a while until they had a daughter. They were both under so much stress, they couldnt be together. Derek paid child support, 100 dollars every week, and came to see her every now and then.

Sadie's mother was a dead beat. And still is. She lives with them, but barely ever takes care of them. Sadie is pretty much Jamie's mother these days.

"I'm gonna take her to the park." Derek said as she ran behind him.

Sadie put her hands on her hips and looked him square in the eyes.

"Derek, I dont think..." She started.

"Sadie!!" Jamie cried.

"Come on, It will be fine." Derek reassured her.

"Jamie, sweetheart, go back in the house really quick." Sadie said, folding her arms.

Jamie ran back in the house and Sadie shut the front door, and stood in front of Derek. She looked concerned and worried. Maybe just flat out scared.

"Derek, Your 22 years old, with no job, no house, not even a stable place." Sadie sighed. "I'm 14 years old talking to you about this. How stupid do you feel right now?"

"Pretty stupid." Derek said, looking down at his shoes.

"Get your life together, then maybe you can take her to the park." Sadie rolled her eyes and walked into the house, slamming the door on him.

He was shocked. Sadie was always extremely nice to him.

He sighed and walked back down the street. To the corner. To the dealer.

--

Casey laid on her couch, watching TV, flipping through the channels and wishing she didn't drive everybody away so much.

She whiped another tear away. She had been crying since he left, which was over 3 hours ago.

There was a loud knock on the door, It scared the hell out of her.

She quickly jumped up and ran over to it. She had no clue who it would be.

As she swung it open, she gasped. Derek was slung over the railing, looking half alive.

"Derek?" She whispered, walking over to him.

"Mmmmmmhmmmm." He made a light smile with his closed.

"Oh my God. Your high!?" She whispered. She looked around, across the street. All of her neighbors who she just started to finally get along with were staring and whispering.

She reached out and pulled him into the small apartment. "How could you do this!?" She yelled, pushing him down on the couch.

"Sadie..." He slurred, falling back on the couch. She helped him back up and stared into his eyes. It was obvious he was high.

"Whos Sadie? And what about her?" Casey asked, walking into the kitchen and poured a glass of water.

She had no clue how to deal with a high person. She never really talked to anybody like that.

"Jamie's aunt. Lina's sister." Derek called out. "And why is your house spinning?"

Casey rolled her eyes and chuckled as she walked in with the glass.

"Its not. And who's Lina and Jamie? God, you lost me." She handed him the glass and stood back up.

She tried so hard to keep her cool. She didn't want him to leave again. She was so mad at the fact that he went and got high. But she tried as hard as she could to be OK with it.

Even though it was tearing her her apart.

'Ughh.' Derek groaned as he tried to take a sip of the water.

"I don't know." He started to laugh. But Casey found no humor in it.

He was really high and she couldn't stand it. Her cool was running down faster and faster, she was going to burst.

"Your so nice. Why are you so nice?" Derek asked her, scratching his head.

Casey shook her head and studied his every move. It was just so diffrent from how she remembered him.

"I'm not. I'm not nice at all. That's why everybody hates me so much." She threw her hands in the air and tears came to her eyes.

"No. no no no no no no no no no. Nobody hates you!?" Derek yelled, his eyes closed.

"Yes they do." Casey said through her tears. She was so caught up in her own drama-filled world that she almost forgot Derek was still high.

She sniffed as he opened his eyes. The tears started to fall.

"No, Don't cry." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

She looked around the room as held on to her, tighter and tighter. She slowly lifted her arms and gently wrapped them around him. She was so confused.

"Thank, You?" She said slowly, arching her eyebrows.

"Anytimeeee." Derek said, pulling away.

They sat there for a moment. Just staring at each other. Casey didn't know what she was feeling. It was an emotion was was all new to. One she never felt before.

She looked into his eyes. But saw nothing but drugs and immaturity.

He slowly started to lean into her.

She didn't move. She couldn't grip reality. This couldn't be happening.

As his lips touched hers, it became real. Her heart started to beat faster and she slowly closed her eyes.

Somebody actually wanted her. Somebody didn't want to leave. And that somebody was Derek?

She quickly pulled away and looked at him. There was hurt in her eyes and confusion.

"What?" He chuckled.

She shook her head as tears came back to her eyes.

She quickly got up and started to walk away. "Where are you going!?" Derek yelled back. He tried to stand, but it seemed almost impossible.

"It cant deal with this. Talk to me when your not high." Casey shook her head and grabbed her purse from the small table next to the door.

"You leaving me here, alone?" Derek asked.

"Yea, whatever." She slammed the door without thinking, and walked down the front steps.

_Nothing was going to be the same._


	4. Lets Pretend Your Not Mad

**Still don't own Life With Derek (: But there's a new episode Sunday, so I can sit around and wish I DID own it (:**

Derek looked around the room and found a clock on the wall. It was 6 AM. 'Who wakes up at 6 AM?' He asked himself.

He sat up on the couch and saw Casey in the kitchen. "Of course." He whispered to himself, standing up.

"Goooood Morning, sunshine." Casey joked as she poured a glass of orange juice.

"Yea..." He whispered as he rubbed his eyes and watched her set it on top of the coaster that was laying on the coffee table in front of him.

She plopped down next to him and sighed. "You broke my rule last night." Casey rubbed her neck.

"I know." Derek said before taking a sip of the orange juice.

"That was for me..." Casey whispered, but he didn't seem to notice.

She rolled her eyes and sat up. "You need to stop. For real." She said as he set it back down.

"Why? Are you my mom?" Derek asked, obviously pissed. Casey looked at her feet and took a deep breath.

"Do you get mad at _everybody_ who asks you to stop, or do you just hate me _that _much?" She asked, standing up and walking back into the kitchen, to make herself something to eat, since Derek took her orange juice.

"I don't _hate _you, its just, I can make me own decisions. I'm an adult." Derek said, taking another sip.

"Couldda fooled me." Casey said under her breath, popping bread into the toaster.

"What?" He asked, looked back at her.

"Nothing." She smirked and leaned on the counter, waiting for her toast. "Anyway..." Casey started.

"Who's Lina, Sadie, and Janie?" Casey asked, going into the fridge and pulling out the butter.

"Jamie. And why?" He corrected her, concerned about how she found out about them.

"You were babbling something about them when you were** high**." Casey said as the toast popped up.

She took the toast out and smeared the butter onto them.

When Derek didn't answer, she said something offending, without knowing.

"Are they some girls you had a one-night-stand with or something?" She rolled her eyes and walked into the living room.

"NO!" Derek yelled as she sat on.

"Jeeze, sorry." Casey set down the plate as she sat down.

Derek reached out and pulled up a piece of toast to his mouth.

"God damit, Stop eating my food!" Casey yelled, pulling it out of his hand.

"Sor-ry." He said, leaning back. "Anyway, who are they?" Casey said, taking a bite.

"None of your business." Derek said, folding his arms. "My house my rules. You still want a place to stay?" Casey said, leaving him no choice but to tell her.

"Jamie's my daughter." Casey spit out the piece of toast. "What!?" She yelled.

Derek took a sip of orange juice.

"So you kissed me, but didn't tell me you had a kid!?" Casey yelled.

Derek spit the orange juice out onto the floor. "What!?"

Casey's heart fell into her chest. "You don't remember?" She whispered, feeling hurt.

"Case, I was high!?" Derek said, holding out his arms. He put the juice back down on the table.

"Use a coaster." Casey said, showing no emotion as she stood up and walked into her bathroom.

She slammed the door and Derek stared off into space. He knew he kissed her. He just wasn't ready to admit it yet.

The front door opened and Nora was standing there. "Hello Derek." Nora said as she hung up her coat.

"Hi?" He said, watching her from the couch. He thought she would have been a lot more surprised to see him after all this time.

"Where's Casey?" She asked, turning to him.

"Ummm, the bathroom." Derek said, pointing down the hallway.

"Yes, I know where it is." Nora said, as if he had just called her stupid.

His phone went off as Nora walked down the hall.

"What?" He said into it, not caring who it was.

"So pleasant at 6 AM." The voice sounded sarcastic.

"Sadie..." Derek replied, sitting up.

"Where are you?" Sadie asked.

"My step sister's." Derek said, trying to sound mature.

"Oh. Wheres that?" Sadie asked. "Calm down, Jame." She said, moving her mouth away from the phone.

"243 Uland street. Why?" Derek said, standing up.

"I'm gonna bring Jamie over."

Before Derek could say anything, she hung up the phone. "Great." He sarcastically whispered to himself.

Casey walked into the room with her mother next to her. "Do you want something to eat, Derek?" Casey asked, as if she wasn't mad at him.

"Yea? Thanks?" He said, confused.

Then he realized, she was probably just acting like that because her mother was here.

"Hey, Case..." Derek called to her as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yea?" She called back. "Jamie's gonna come over. But I'll just take her out somewhere so that you don't have to worry about a 5 year old in your apartment." Derek said, standing up.

Casey's head shot up and her mother looked at her, exspecting her to automaticly flip out.

She NEEDED to meet this child. She wondered if she was anything like Derek. "No. Its okay, you guys can stay here. Maybe we'll go to the park or something." Casey said, making a sand which.

Nora looked over to Derek. "Well, The park isn't such a good idea, and her aunts gonna be with her." Derek said, coming into the kitchen.

"Oh? How old is her aunt?" Casey asked, as if she didn't care. "14." Derek simply said. Then, it occurred to him.

Casey dealt with her anger by not showing it. Plus, she didn't want to drive him away. Now, Derek could have an extreme amount of fun with this. He could drive her up the wall, and actually NOT get hell for it. But he wasn't going to. He wasn't mature, but he WAS older.

"She's pretty young." Casey said as she poked her head into the firge. "Yea, she was Lina's little sister." Derek said, pulling out the bread and actually helping her.

"Lina? You never told me who she was yet." Casey said, pulling out of the fridge and holding two plastic baggys in her hand. "And ham or chicken?"

"Ham, and she's Jamie's mom. But that story will be told another time." Derek said, looking at Nora.

Nora smiled at Casey. "Casey, I think I'm going to go back home. Lizzie is working on a summer project, he needs a lot of help, Its for collage." Nora said.

"My baby sister is going to collage soon, I cant get over it. She's getting so old... _I'm_ getting so old." Casey chuckled.

"Old!? Your 21!" Nora gave her a hug and a quick wave to Derek and she was on her way.

"Nora seemed happy to see me.." Derek said sarcastically, placing a piece of ham onto the bread.

'Ugh.' Casey made a disgusted face. "Shes not happy to see anybody who relates to your father." She chuckled again.

"Sooo, are we just gonna pretend your not extremely mad at me?" Derek asked, bluntly.

"That's the plan. Want some water?" Casey asked, walking over to the fridge again.

"Okay. And no thanks." Derek shook his head and smiled. He wondered if he was the only person to point that out to her.


	5. She Needs Somebody To Need Her

**Still don't own Life With Derek (: But there's a new episode Sunday, so I can sit around and wish I DID own it (:**

Derek and Casey sat on the front steps waiting for Sadie to come with Jamie. She would be there any second.

"Are you still mad at me?" Derek asked, looking up at her. She was sitting on the step above him. She gently shook her head and looked off into space.

"I can't believe you have a kid." Casey said, looking down at him. She squinted her eyes as the sun shined into them. Derek just shrugged his shoulders. "Shes so cute though, your gonna love her." Derek smiled.

"Daddy!"

Derek and Casey both turned their heads and watched as a small girl ran up to them. Her hair blew back in the wind and her arms were reached out to Derek.

He jumped up and picked her up, then looked back at Casey. "Casey, this is Jamie." Derek said, loud and proud.

"Very nice to meet you, Jamie." Casey smiled and stood up.

Derek turned his head to Sadie who was standing on the pavement. She looked so pretty today. Derek knew something was wrong.

Sadie was different. Usually, when people are upset, they let themselves go. But Sadie was the opposite. When ever she was depressed, she would lock her self in her bed room and do her hair and make up, then pick up a cute outfit.

He looked her up and down. Her long, dark brown hair was down in spiral curls and her makeup was done perfectly. She had on a short, purple dress with white leggings on under it. She was waring white high heels that tied around her ankles and a pretty, heart shaped necklace that belonged to Lina before she died.

"Everything OK?" Derek asked, putting Jamie down.

Sadie looked at Jamie, but she was busy talking away to Casey. "My mom is flipping out. She thinks I stole her money. The stupid bitch probably lost it." Sadie rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Two dollars in the sware jar!" Jamie pointed her finger at her.

"Sorry, sweetie." Sadie chuckled at herself. She was so mature for a 14 year old, Derek thought.

"What are you going to do?" Casey asked, jumping into the conversation.

"I have a friend I can stay with. But she going to flip when she sees Jamie." Sadie put her hand over her mouth as if she was trying to stop herself from crying.

"Well, Jamie could stay with us." Casey smiled at Sadie.

Sadie closed her eyes tight. She never even had a conversation with Casey, how was she going to trust her with her nice?

"I'm normal, I sware." Casey put up her right hand and smiled.

Sadie took a deep breath and looked over to Derek. "What about when your at work... If you work?" Sadie asked Casey.

"Yea, I do. Monday through Friday. And I have a younger sister who could watch her, and with some help from Derek, we should be fine." Casey smiled.

Derek looked up at her. This was amazing. But different. This wasn't the Casey he remembered. She had changed, a lot.

He could almost go so far as to say that she was a 'push-over.'

"I'm trusting you two." Sadie pointed at them, as if she were their mother. "We wont let you down." Derek smiled.

"I'll be back to check up on her tomorrow. Here's some of her clothes. I could try to get some more from the house tomorrow, I'll bring them with me." Sadie handed Derek a big pink bag.

"I wont let you down, Sadie, I promise." Derek said as he took it.

"Please, Derek. Don't screw this up." With that, Sadie gave Jamie a kiss and she was on her way.

"YAY! Daddy, I get to stay with you and Casey!" Jamie yelled, clapping her small hands together.

Casey laughed. "Well, its Saturday, so we have today and tomorrow together." She smiled and picked up Jamie.

"God, you like, a 'mini-Derek'." She said, causing them to laugh.

"I'm bored." Jamie whined as Casey put her back down. "Already?" Derek scratched his head.

"You jut got here." Casey laughed and took her bag from Derek.

"We need to do something fun!" Jamie smiled. "Well, how about we get something to eat, first?" Casey said, opening the front door.

"Sounds good!" She smiled and followed after Casey, and Derek followed after her.

--

Casey stood over the stove and mixed the soup mix together as Derek walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Case?"

"Yea?" She turned around and smiled.

"Thanks. A lot." Derek smirked and walked out of the room, but Casey called after him.

"Yea?" He asked, coming back into the kitchen.

"Things are going to have to change." Casey started. The old Casey wasn't completely gone.

"Like what?" Derek asked.

"You need to get a job. And I know you hate when I tell you to, but, you have to stop the drugs. If were going to make this work. I want to help you and Jamie, I really do. But you need to put some effort into it too." Casey said, pouring the soup into a bowl.

"Casey, you don't understand. You cant just leave drugs. Its an addiction. You have to do it little by little." Derek said, leaning against the counter.

"So, we'll do what ever it takes. Get you rehab, what ever you need, I'm ready to try it." Casey said as she walked into the living room with the soup.

Derek followed.

"Here, Sweetie." Casey said, setting the soup in front of Jamie.

"Thank you, Casey. You so nice." Jamie smiled up at her.

Casey sighed and smiled. Finally, she had what she wanted. People who needed her. People who werent going to leave her.

She looked up at Derek. "So, what do you say? Are you going to get help?" Casey asked him.

"Yea." Derek smiled and plopped down on the couch.

Casey took a deep breath and looked around the room. Once Derek got help, everything was goign to get better, she thought.

Everything would be fine. But, honestly...

_She had no idea what she was getting herself into._


	6. That Was When I Ruled The World

**Brandonha: Thanks (: I would love that, but one question. Is the rehab an out-patient or in-patient?**

**I own nothing but the plot, and Sadie and Jamie, lol (:**

"Do you wanna sleep in the living room with daddy, Jamie?" Casey asked, kneeling down next to her as she watched cartoons.

She just nodded her head. "Alright, then. Come on, Jame. We gotta make you a bed." Derek said, getting off the couch.

He was loving this. The last time he had Jamie for the whole night was over two years ago.

"Okay." She smiled and stood up.

"Here, there's some blankets in the closet." Casey smiled and walked to the small closet, pulling out a few blankets.

"I get the couch!" Jamie smiled and jumped on the couch.

"Hey!?" Derek picked her up and started to tickle her.

--The Next Day--

"Daddy, wake up!!" Jamie yelled, slapping Derek's face.

Derek moaned and sat up. "Who did your hair?" He asked her as he saw that her hair looked perfect.

"Casey!" She said with a giant smiled.

"Should have known." Derek smiled and tugged on one of the pigtails, they looked just like Casey used to do her hair.

"Hey!" She yelled, pulling her head back.

"Sorry." Derek attempted a smile and stood up.

"Breakfast?" Casey asked with a smile as she held up a frying pan.

"Mmmm." Derek walked into the kitchen and all he could smell was bacon. He grabbed a piece off of the big plate, but dropped it and stuck his finger immediately to his mouth as he realized it was still extremely hot.

"Daddy, your funny!" Jamie said in between laughter.

Casey made a small laugh and looked down at her. "He is, isn't he?"

"I'm also sexy." Derek said with a smirk.

"Ewww." Jamie sang.

Casey laughed, then thought to herself. She felt like they were a family? It was so weird. As if Derek was her husband and Jamie was her daughter. It was a strange feeling. She felt like she should give Derek a kiss and then he would be off to work, then she would drop Jamie off at her preschool and then she would go off to work.

"Case, the bacon!" Derek yelled, snapping her out of her fantasy. Smoke filled her lungs as she tried to turn off the stove as fast as she could.

"Oh no." Jamie said, looking at the bacon, which now looked like little, black crisps.

"Okay, I have a better idea, why don't we go out to eat?" Casey said, leading them out of the kitchen.

"YAY!" Jamie jumped up and down, causing her pigtails to bounce.

"Alright, go get dressed, bed head." Casey said, giving Derek a light slap on his chest.

"I think my bed head is handsome, isn't it, Jame?" Derek smiled and looked down at her.

"You really want the truth,dad?" She asked in her most mature, 5-year-old voice.

Derek just laughed and walked into the bathroom.

--15 minutes later--

Derek was dressed in the brand new clothes that Casey had bought him at the mall, Casey thought he actually looked pretty nice.

"Case, can I have some money?" Derek asked, opening the front door for them.

Casey grabbed her purse and walked out after Jamie, and in front of Derek. "What for?" Casey didn't have to ask, she knew very well what he wanted it for.

"I don't know, stuff." He said, looking down at Jamie. Casey crossed her arms and looked into his eyes. "I thought you were done, that stuff."

"I'm not talking about that." Derek said, but Casey could tell he was lying.

"Sure, Derek. You know I'm here to help. Whatever you need, me and Jamie will go with you to get it." Casey smiled, knowing he had no excuse now.

"Whatever, lets just go." Derek looked and sounded angry as he said that, and the look in his eyes was scaring Casey.

"Come on, Jamie." Casey said, grabbing her hand and leading her down the street.

"Why can't we just take your car?" Derek asked, pointing to Casey's car.

It was sliver, and A LOT more nicer then Derek's old car, which he sold for money for drugs.

"You get more exercise if you walk." Casey smiled and started to walk again, with Jamie holding her hand.

Derek sighed, loud and angry, and started to walk.

--

Casey cleaned up the blankets that were laying on the living room floor, then turned to Derek.

"You okay?" She asked. He looked sweaty and tried. Maybe just withdrawn.

"Fine." He made a cocky smile.

Casey shook her head and walked into her bathroom, soon after, Jamie skipped in.

"What are you doing?" She asked as Casey leaned over the sink and looked into the mirror.

"Putting on my make up." Casey smiled and ran mascara over her eye lash.

"Why?" Jamie asked her. Casey sighed and picked her up, putting her on the counter next to the sink.

"Because sometimes I just need to feel beautiful." Casey smiled. There was something about her smile, something that even Jamie could notice. It was sad, and unhappy. If you looked past the fake smile, and into her heart, there wasn't really anything to smile about.

"But your already beautiful?" Jamie asked, looking up at her. She looked disapointed the Casey didnt think she was beautiful.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Casey smiled, then slipped lip gloss across her lips.

"Are you done now?" Jamie asked, looking at her through the mirror.

"Yes." Casey whispered. She picked her up, and they walked into the kitchen.

"Now for some lunch." Casey smiled.

--

Derek walked through-out Casey's apartment. She saw him, but didn't seem to care. He walked into her bedroom and saw that everything was lined up perfectly and her CD's were placed in alphabetical order. Derek rolled his eyes.

He looked at all of her books and magazines, they weren't in order, but they were neatly stacked. But there was one of the top, one that Derek remembered. Their high school year book.

He picked it up and sat on the end on her bed. He opened up a page to their graduation. Him and Casey didnt even talk that year, their parents were in the middle of the divorce and Casey was living with her aunt.

There was a picture of Casey and Emily hugging each other and smiling bigger then Derek has ever seen her smile. Emily was laughing because Casey's cap was hitting her in the head, and Casey was unaware. This made Derek smile.

He looked above the picture. There was Him, Sam, and Ralph. They were holding their diplomas in the air and yelling. Derek didnt remember what, though. He studied his face. He looked so happy. This was before the divorce got really bad.

He looked as if he was ready for what ever life was going to throw at him and he was ready to be a mature adult.

He dropped the book at his side and ran his fingers through his hair. Life wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to go this way. He was supposed to be successful and happy. Not addicted to drugs with a daughter he barley even sees.

Casey walked into the room and sat down next to him. "That was before it all went down hill." She said, picking up the book.

Derek made an angry chuckle. "That was when I ruled the world." He shook his head and fought the urge to punch the wall.

"How did it end up like this?" Casey whispered, trying so hard not to let him see that tears were filling her eyes.

Derek shook his head, and stood up.


	7. Just Because

**Brandonha: Thanks again (:**

**I own nothing but the plot, and Sadie and Jamie, lol (:**

It was 7:24 PM. Casey was sitting on the couch watching TV, and heard a noise coming from her bedroom. She turned and around and raised her eyebrows, but her door was shut. She looked around the living room and noticed that she was too caught up in her movie that she didn't realize Derek wasn't there anymore. She got worried and stood up. "I'll be right back, Jame." Casey said as she walked to her room.

She opened the door and saw Derek going through her dresser. "What are you doing!?" She yelled, pushing him away from it. He was breathing deeply and looked horrible and sick.

"I need money!" Derek yelled, pushing her out of the way. "Stop it!" She screamed, trying to get him out of her purse that he found.

"JUST GIVE ME IT!" He screamed, pulling the purse towards him. "NO! GET OFF, DEREK!" Casey screamed.

"Daddy!!" Jamie cried from the door. Casey quickly turned around.

Derek pulled the purse from her hands and searched it for money as she tried to get Jamie out of the room. "Jamie, sweetheart, go get the phone, please." Casey said, staying to stay calm so that she didn't make Jamie scared.

Jamie ran into the living room and got the phone as Casey desperately tried to stop Derek from taking her money.

"Here!" Jamie yelled, trying to give Casey the phone. "Derek, Please!" Casey cried.

She grabbed the phone and dialed her mothers number. "Mom, I need you to come here, now." Casey said, trying to stay calm with her mother as she fought Derek to stay in the room.

"Whats going on!?"Nora yelled. Casey could hear her mother getting her keys in the background.

"Just hurry!" Casey cried. She turned off the phone and threw it on the bed. "Derek!!" She held onto his arm as he tried his hardest to get out of the room. "Daddy!!" Jamie cried. She was starting to cry when she saw Casey cry.

"GET OFF OF ME, CASEY!" Derek screamed, trying to push her back, but she wouldn't let go of him.

"NO!!" At this point she had tears falling off of her face as she used all of her strength to hold him back, and not let him leave.

Without taking a second thought, Derek threw the back of his hand across Casey's face. She was shocked, she had never been hit that hard in her life.

She took her hands off of Derek and stood there with her hand over her cheek. Jamie started to freak out even worse, which pulled Casey back into reality.

"Jamie, Call 911, sweetheart." Casey tried to sound calm, but it was too hard at this point.

Jamie forcefully shook her head no as she cried harder. Casey grabbed the phone and punched in 911 as fast as she could.

"Hello?" A voice as on the other line. Casey tried to think for a second, but she had no idea what to tell them. She quickly handed the phone to Jamie without thinking, and focused on not letting Derek get out of the door.

By this point, they were in the living room. "My daddy's mad!" Jamie cried into the phone.

"DEREK STOP!" Casey cried. She had one leg holding the front door shut, and one placed on the floor, helping her keep her balance. Both of her arms were around Derek, and holding on to him as tight as she could but he was still stronger then her.

There was a loud knock at the door and Casey felt as if it was over. But it was nowhere near over.

She tried her hardest to open the door and not let Derek go, but she couldn't. She forced him back and onto the ground. "Jamie, open the door!" Casey yelled as she tried to keep Derek on the ground.

"Casey!" Nora cried as she ran into the apartment. She tried to help her off of the floor, but she wasn't letting Derek go. She cried harder as she heard cop cars pulling up to the apartment.

"Why, Derek?" She cried as she laid on top of him. Nora rushed over and tried to settle down Jamie. She heard a two men rush into the apartment and try to pull Derek and Casey apart.

"STOP!" She cried as she saw the cop forcefully shove Derek against the wall. "No!!" Jamie cried out from the couch.

"WHATS GOING ON HERE!?" The man holding back Casey yelled.

"I don't know!?" Nora called out. Another cop walked into the apartment and over to Nora and Jamie. "When did you get here?" It was a female cop.

"Just a few seconds ago. I have no idea whats wrong with him!" Nora yelled. The cop turned and looked at Casey. She was crying onto the cops shoulder, and the other cop was handcuffing Derek.

"Mam, did he hurt you?" The female cop asked.

Derek looked over his shoulder at her. The side of her face was red and swelled up. Casey looked into his eyes. There were so many emotions that she had no clue what was going on in his mind.

She gently shook her head. "I was running. I fell into the wall." She said quietly.

The cops all gave each other a look, they didn't believe her for a second. "Sir, were gonna have to take you with us." The cop holding Derek said.

"What!? No! He didn't do anything!" Casey cried. She didn't know what was making her feel bad for him. He had just hit her.

Derek hung his head down as the cop leaded him out to the car. Casey pushed the cop off of her and ran down the steps, after them. "Please don't do this!" She begged the cop, but he looked like he didn't hear a word she said.

"Just let me talk to him, please." She begged as he placed Derek into the car. He nodded his head.

She kneeled down and looked at him, but he refused to make eye contact with her. Casey didnt say anything for a second, she just cried. "I'm gonna try to talk to them or something, alright?" She said as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Derek didn't say anything.

"Maybe we could get you into rehab instead of jail." Casey made a light chuckle.

"Why, Case?" Derek asked, still looking down. "Well, I think it would be a little better then jail, don't you?" She asked, confused.

"Not that, why do you even care?" Derek finally looked up at her. "My dad kicked me out when I got like this. Sam didn't talk to me when I got like this. Marti wouldn't even come near me. But you, of all people, want to help me? I just fucking hit you!?" Derek yelled.

"No, _you _didn't. The drugs did." Casey started to cry a little harder again. She made him scoot over, and she got in the car, next to him, but kept the door open.

"I don't want to see you like this, Derek. None of us do." Casey shook her head. "I miss the old Derek who was the prank master and had the all best jokes." She tried to smile.

"I bet Edwin even misses being bossed around." Casey said. Derek made a sad attempt at a smile.

"Derek, do you know what Jamie just saw?" Casey asked. But he didn't respond. She sighed and went on. "She saw the person shes going to see for the rest of her life... Your the only one who can change that image."

"And I will... But Casey, please, don't make me go to rehab, or jail. I'll be fine, _you _can help me." Derek begged.

Casey shook her head. "No, Derek. I cant. Not on my own. _You_ need to_ me_ help, help _you_." Casey cried.

"Why do you even bother with me? I'm just some fucked up coke-head with no job and no life!" Derek yelled.

"BECAUSE, DEREK!" She yelled back.

"BECAUSE WHY!?"

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!"


	8. Hes Going To Be Just Fine

**Again, thanks to Brandonha for helping me out with Derek's behaviour and the rehab! (:**

**I down own anything :(**

Without thinking, Derek leaned into her and crashed his lips onto hers.

As they broke apart, gasping for air, A small smile grew across Casey's face. "I love you too." Derek whispered into her ear.

She was too caught up in the moment to realize that she was sitting in a cop car, and he was about to get arrested, while his child was in the house with her mother, not to mention, he just hit her, not even 5 minutes ago.

"So please, trust me when I say that I'll be fine." Derek smiled, and Casey's smile quickly fell. "What?" He whispered. She saw right through him, and she wasn't as stupid as he thought she was.

Tears started up in her eyes again as she got out of the car. "Your a fucking liar!" She yelled. "You don't love me, you love the drugs!" She yelled as she slammed the cop car door shut and walked back up to the cop who was standing outside of the apartment.

"Hi." She whispered, trying to recover from the heartbreak that had just hit her. The cop ran his fingers through his hair and pulled out a small note pad. "Can you tell me what happened tonight?" He asked, pulling out a pen. Casey nodded her head and tugged on her clothes.

"He was doing coke, for a while now." She said throwing her hair up into a pony tail, using the rubber band around her wrist. The cop wrote something down then looked up at her. "How long, do you know?"

She looked around and tried to think, but there was too much things running through her head. "5 years, maybe 6?" She asked, putting her head in her hands. The cop raised his eyebrow and wrote down something else.

"Has he been staying with you?" He asked, looking up from the note pad and she nodded her head. "The kid in there, the little girl, is she yours?"

Casey shook her head and looked at Derek throw the car window, the blue and red lights were flashing against his face. "She's his." She said softly. "Wheres her mother?" The cop looked concerned. "She died a few years ago." Casey folded her arms.

"Does he have custody of her?" He cop asked looking back at him. Casey closed her eyes and tried to think again, but she never remembered Derek telling her anything about custody. "I don't know. You'll have to ask him." She said, looking down at the ground.

"Shit! Sadie!" She said, he head jumping back up. "I have to call her!" She yelled, but before the cop could ask who she was, Casey was dialing her number into her cell phone.

--20 minutes later--

Sadie sat in the apartment with Jamie on her lap. Jamie was still scared, and still crying, it was breaking every body's heart. Casey was still talking to the cops and Nora was talking to Lizzie on her cell phone.

Casey finished talking to the cop and slowly walked to the cop car, opening the door, but not sitting with him this time.

"Your going to rehab. And if you don't want to, you have no choice, I'll 302 you." Casey said, folding her arms. "What the hell is a 302?" Derek asked, confusion filling his face.

"I could send you to the rehab against your will, and you will have to stay there." Casey said, it hurt her that she might have to go that far. "You don't have to do that." Derek whispered.

"I might." Casey said, tears, once again, filling her eyes.

"I'll go myself. You don't have to worry about it." Derek said, looking down at the floor of the cop car. Casey shook her head as a tear fell. "I don't know how this happened. How we got here."

"Its not our fault. Its my fucking dad, he should have never cheated on your mom." Derek said, with hurt in his voice.

"Its _not_ your dad, Derek! Your dad never made you do drugs. Sure, he screwed up, but it was _your _choice to do them." Casey said.

Derek just nodded his head. "Jamie is going to stay with me. But, were definitely going to have some problems in the future." Casey said.

"What kind of problems?" Derek asked, scared of the answer.

"Custody, Derek. Child services could take her _right now_if anybody reported this." Casey said, crossing her arms. Derek looked up at her with sadness in his eyes.

"Did the cop report us?" Derek asked her. She gently shook her head as the cop walked over to them. "Were going to take you down to a rehab. Its a really good one, trust me. Its called Addiction Services of Thames Valley or ASTV." The cop said, with a serious face.

"How far away if it?" Derek asked him. "Not too far, about 20 minutes." The cop said. "Were gonna get you into a 30-day treatment. You can make calls, and have visitors, all that good stuff." He said.

Derek nodded his head. "Thank you." Casey whispered to the cop, and he got in the front seat of the car.

"Are you going to visit me?" Derek asked as he started the car.

"Maybe." Casey whispered before shutting the door, and walking over to the other side of the car, where the cop is. "This is my cell number." She handed him a number. "If you could call me when you guys get there, I would appreciate it very much." Casey tried to smile, but it just wasn't working.

"Of course." The cop smiled at her and started to drive away. Half of her was crushing, the other half was happy he was finally getting help.

She walked up the steps and into the apartment. Sadie jumped up and walked over to her. "Are they taking him to jail!?" She asked nervously.

Casey shook her head and sat her down on the couch. "Jamie, sweetheart, why don't you go watch TV in my room?" Casey asked her, trying to make her leave so she didn't have to hear everything. She nodded her head and walked into Casey's bedroom.

"Their taking him to a rehab, where hes going to stay for 30 days, then, when he gets out, he will do some out-patient programs." Nora and Sadie nodded their heads.

"I guess once he gets out, he can still stay here, but hes going to have to get a job, and everything." She said, taking a deep breath. "I have work tomorrow, Mom, will you take Jamie home with you tonight?" She asked and Nora nodded her head.

"I'll pick her up when I get home, is that OK?" She asked both Sadie and Nora. "Yea." They both said at the same time.

"I'll call and check up everyday." Sadie said before standing up. "I'll give you a ride home, Sadie." Nora said.

"You get some rest." Nora said, kissing Casey's forehead. "Wait, one more thing, what about custody?" Sadie asked Casey.

"I guess once he gets out hes going to have to go to court, but I want to make sure hes clean before he does so." Casey said to her and she nodded her head.

Sadie went into the bedroom and got Jamie ready to leave.

As they were sitting in the living room, Jamie looked up at Casey.

"Is daddy going to be OK?" She whispered.

"I have a feeling hes going to be just fine." Casey smiled.


	9. Never Meant To Hurt You

**Nope; Still don't own Life With Derek.**

Casey sat at her desk and tried so hard to focus on her work, but it just wasn't happening.

"Having fun?" Jenny, A friend from work asked sarcastically her as she walked into her office. "I have no idea what to write." Casey said, letting her head fall into her hands.

"Well, considering your a writer for _Seventeen,_ that might be a problem." Jenny said, sitting in a chair that was in the corner or Casey's office. "Whats going on?" She asked, seeing as Casey looked tired and worried.

"Derek went into rehab yesterday." Casey said, lifting her head back up and rubbing her makeup-less eyes. Jenny raised her eyebrows and scooted up on the chair. "Whoa." She whispered.

"Where's his kid?" Jenny asked, getting amused by the drama.

"With my mom. But shes going to be living with me until we get everything fixed." Casey said, typing something into the computer.

"What happened? What made him go to rehab?" Jenny asked, leaning back and looking out of the floor-to-ceiling windows that over looked the city.

"Me." Casey said with a light chuckle as she typed something else. "You made him?" Jenny asked, almost as if she didn't believe her. Casey just nodded her head and starred at the computer screen.

"Why is that so strange?" Casey raised her eyebrow and peeked over the computer at her. "Well, I thought that you like him staying with you. I mean, not at first, but you seemed to grow pretty fond of it." Jenny said, getting up and walking to the windows.

"He was only there for like, a day." Casey rolled her eyes and placed her head on her hand.

She jumped when she heard the phone at the end of her desk start to ring. She held up a finger to Jenny, telling her to wait a second, as she picked it up.

"Casey McDonald." She said in a professional voice, into the phone.

"Hello Miss.McDonald. My name is Samantha, I work at the rehab Derek Venturi is now placed in." The woman on he other end of the phone said.

"Yes, Hello." Casey immediately sat up and looked into space as she wondered what he had done now. "Visiting hours were 15 minutes ago, nobody showed. I was just making sure that you knew, in case you were planning on coming down."

Casey took a deep breath and played with the cord to the phone, then looked out of the window. "Actually, I'm working right now, I dont think I'll be able to make it today." Casey said, acting sorry.

"Well, If you want, you could come at 8:00 tonight." The woman said.

Casey sighed. "I don't know. I have a lot going on." She lied.

"Its a shame. Hes very nice, and he was asking if you were coming." The woman said, trying to put Casey on a guilt trip.

And it was working.

"Really?" She asked, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.

"Yes. In fact, hes right outside the hall if you would like to talk to him." The woman said, nicely.

"No. Its alright. I'll be there tonight." Casey said, sitting up and opening her eyes. "Okay, see you then." The woman smiled and hung up the phone, as did Casey.

"Who was that?" Jenny asked, looking back at her.

"Some lady at that rehab." Casey said as she typed another sentence. "What did she want?" Jenny asked, sitting back in the chair that she was sitting in earlier.

"She wanted to know if I was going to visit Derek." Casey said, trying to brush it off.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Casey stood in front of the mirror and applied her make up as she thought about what it would be like. If it was like jail, and they would be in a quiet room with guards watching them, or if it will be like a hospital, where he gets his own room, and she can go in and see.

She was scared. She didn't want him to be in a place where people were mean to him, or where he wasn't aloud to do anything. She just wanted him to be happy.

--

She walked through the big, metal doors after a nurse. She was short and she had light brown hair, a little past her shoulders. She had big hazel eyes and a beautiful smile, Casey wondered if Derek hit on her since hes been here. "Right through those doors. Go to the desk and tell them who your here to see." She smiled and pointed to a second set of doors.

Casey pushed them opened and were surprised at how heavy they were. She stopped and looked around for a second. The walls were a light green and the ceiling went so high up, it was almost amazing to Casey. There were paintings hung on the walls. Most of them were of the beach. The floors were white and tiled, and perfectly clean. She held on tighter to the McDonald's bag in her hand and walked up to the large desk in the middle of the huge room. "Hello." There was a man at the desk. He was about 27, and Casey found him to be very handsome. She asked herself if it was a modeling school, in stead of a rehab. "Can I help you?" He asked, flashing a charming smile at her.

"Yes, I'm looking for Derek Venturi." She said, snapping back into real life. "Okay, I'm going to need your signature, and ID." He smiled as Casey wrote down her name on the piece of paper under all the other names.

"And ID..." He guy repeated after she finished signing it. She smiled and went into her purse, pulling out her ID. "Alright." He said, studying the ID and pulling the paper toward him. "Your gonna go down the hall, and its the second room to your right. There will be a bunch of people, just tell the nurse in the room that who your here to see, and she'll let you know where he is." He smiled and pointed down the hall.

"Thank you." She held on tighter to her purse as she walked down the hall "Second room to your right." She whispered as she saw all the doors lined up.

She counted to the second one, then walked in. Her heart beat got faster as she saw a bunch of addicts talking to their family and friends at small, high school desks. She noticed the nurse sitting at a small table and walked up to her.

"Hi, I'm here for Derek Venturi." Casey attempted a smile and looked around the room.

"Right there." She said and pointed to a desk at the other end of the room. Casey saw Derek sitting there with his head in his hands and his eyes shut.

"Hey." She said softly, sitting down at the desk across from him. His head shot up and he looked surprised to see her. "I didn't think you were coming." He said, still in shock.

Casey looked up at the clock on the wall, then looked back at him with a questioning face. "I'm only 3 minutes late?"

"No, I mean, because you didn't come earlier." Derek said, making Casey feel horrible. "I'm sorry, I had work." Casey leaned back in the desk that was connected to a chair. She thought it was stupid that they dint just have tables.

"I thought you had one of those jobs where you can call out, or leave when you want?" Derek looked confused.

"I do." Casey said under her breath. "I brought food." She said, trying to change the subject. She held up the McDonald's bag and gave it to him. "Oh my God, your the best!" Derek had a huge smile, and snatched the bag out of her hands. Casey made a small laugh. "Their food SUCKS." Derek said, digging into the bag.

"Ahhhhh." His smile grew even bigger as he smelled the fries. "Yum. Carbs." Casey smiled and rolled her eyes.

"You want some?" He asked, pulling out the fries and holding them out to her. "No, thank you." She said, pushing them back. "So, whats it like here?" She asked as he stuffed his face with fries.

"It sucks. But, I guess its going to help make everything OK." He said, looking her in the eyes. "Have you made any friends?" Casey asked, trying to smile.

"You sound like me the first time Jamie went to daycare." Derek rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Well, just trying to make conversation." Casey said, holding her head up with her hand.

"Look, Case. I just wanted to say sorry, about everything that happened last night." Derek said, putting the food down. "I never meant to hurt you. Physically or mentally. Something came over me, and I lost it."


	10. Avoiding the Past Doesnt Make It Go Away

**I don't own anything :(**

"When can I see daddy??" Jamie whined, laying across the couch as Casey sat on the floor, going through old pictures. "Soon, baby, I promise." Casey said, not really paying attention to her, but more to the picture that was laying in her hand.

It was a picture of Casey sleeping in her bed that she had at George's house. She looked so peaceful, that was, except for the 'KULTZILLA' written on her forehead. She rolled her eyes and smiled a tiny bit. It might as well have just said 'Derek was here.'

"I miss him." Jamie said, setting down the remote and looking down at Casey. She was sounded by a few shoe boxes and pictures that were spread out all around her her. Some were in frames and some were old and worn out. "Here, I know what will make you feel better." She waved to her, telling her to come sit with her.

Jamie slowly walked over, then plopped down next to Casey. "See this picture?" Casey held up a picture of Derek and Sam. They were standing on the front porch with their arms around each others necks. Derek held a half eaten pop sickle in his hand and it was dripping down his arm. Sam was wearing a hat, way too big for his small head, and huge sunglasses that were falling onto the tip of his nose.

Jamie nodded her head and took the picture into her hands. "That was your dad when he was your age." Casey giggled, as did Jamie. "He looked just like you, didnt he?" Casey smiled and leaned over her shoulder, getting a better look at it. "He still does." Jamie said in a happier voice then before.

"How do you have this picture? Did you know my dad when he was this age?" She asked, looking up at Casey. She gently shook her head and sighed. "The day me, my mom and Lizzie moved out, I grabbed all the pictures. Your grandpa probably _still _hates me for it." Casey giggled again and took the picture back.

"Did he know you took them?" Jamie set the picture down, and started to look at the other ones that laid next to them, on the perfectly clean, white carpet.

"Well, he does _now. _We were in such a hurry to get out of there, that he didn't realize anything we took at the time." Casey sighed and picked up another one. "This was me, Your dad, and our friend Emily." Casey smiled and handed the picture to her. She laughed pretty hard when she saw it.

Emily and Casey were laying on law chairs in bikini's and big sunglasses, getting a tan. And about a few feet away from them, Derek was doing the same, and making a girlie expression, mocking them. "My daddy was funny." Jamie laughed one more time.

"He was funny is his own, little 'Derek' way." Casey laughed and rolled her eyes. "He was always playing jokes on me, and stuff like that. I used to hate them, but now that I look back, those were probably the best years of my life." Casey starred down at all the pictures of her and Derek and the rest of her dysfunctional family.

"I've never met my grandpa. Is he nice?" She asked, looking up at Casey. She panicked. She didn't know what to say.

"Hes OK." Casey said, trying to get the pictures together. "Oh." Was all Jamie said. "How do you think this will look on the wall?" Casey asked, holding up a picture on the wall. It was a big, blown up picture in black and white of her and Derek. He had as arm around her waist and she had his arm around his neck. It was at their prom, and it was the last picture they ever took together.

"It will look nice. Like a family." Jamie smiled, and Casey slowly moved the picture down. "Well, I was thinking more like 'friends' , ya know?" Casey said, kind of moving it back up to the spot on the wall, but not as confidently as before.

"Oh, that would look nice too." Jamie shrugged her shoulders and went back to the pictures. "You and my daddy down seem like friends." She said, looking through the pictures.

"Really?" Casey asked, searching for a frame for the picture which she was now sure she was going to hang up. "Yea, you guys fight too much." Jamie said.

"Oh, sweetie, we've always fought." Casey made a light chuckle and slipped the picture into a frame. "Does he always hit you?" She asked, almost scared of the answer.

Casey dropped the frame onto the couch and sat back down next to Jamie. "No." She whispered. "That was the first time. And I know he didn't mean it." Casey said in a quiet voice.

"That was scary, though." Jamie said. She reminded Casey so much of Marti. "I know. But, you know how you cant see your daddy right now?" She asked Jamie, reaching up for the frame and adjusting the picture into it some more. "Yea." She said, picking up a few more pictures.

"Well, hes in a place where they are going to help him get better, so there wont be anymore nights like the other night. And we don't have to worry about him... And maybe you'll even get to see him more." Casey flashed a smile at the small child.

"Well, I hope they help him. I dont want him to end up like my mommy."

Casey's heart sank right then and there. "Me either." She said, in the quietest voice she had, almost a whisper. "But my daddy is strong, and he can get better!" She yelled, with a big smile filling her face.

Her happiness was started to run into Casey. "Yea." She took a deep breath, then stood up. "Now, help me hang up this picture."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Derek was getting his one phone call for the night, and called somebody he had been wanting to talk to for quite some time now."

"Its your baby boy." Derek said in his fake-est, preppiest voice. He heard his father sigh loudly on the other line. "Where are you, Derek? Are you in jail again?" George asked, into the phone as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Nope. Rehab." Derek said, as if he was proud. And apart of him was. Not that he HAD to go to rehab, but the fact that he was getting help.

"Great." George said sarcastically under his breath. "Look, dad. I'm not asking anything of you. I just wanted to call and say good night." Derek said, leaning against the wall as a nurse pointed to the clock, telling him he only had a few more minutes left.

"Well good night." George said, sternly getting ready to hang up the phone, but Derek stopped him. "Can I talk to Marti really quick?" Derek asked, just wishing that of all the things his dad could possibly do for him, that would be the only thing. He heard George sigh again. "Hold on." He said, obviously annoyed.

He heard the phone moving around, then his father yelling. "Marti! Phone!" There was a short pause. "Is it Jason?" Marti sounded excited. "Ha!" He rolled his eyes as he heard his dad give Marti the phone.

"Yea?" She sounded so old, and so mature... So annoyed. What was with this family?

"Is that any way to talk to your Smerek??" Derek asked, knowingly she would scream. He moved his head away from the phone, and sure enough... "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SMEREK SMEREK SMEREK SMEREK SMEREK!" He laughed as he heard her jumping around. She was breathing deeply as she got back on the phone. "Oh my God, I cant believe its you, Smerek!"

Derek smirked. "Hey Smarti." He said softly. "Hows life?" He asked, trying to not let it show that he was doing cart wheels inside.

"Couldn't be better." She took a deep breath. That was the first time she had ever lied to her brother. She was almost on her verge of tears when she heard her father yelling in the background.

"Hey, Smerek, I gotta go. Its dad. It was really nice to hear from you, please call back soon." She said, a smile filling her face. "I kinda owe Casey my next phone call, which would be tomorrow morning, so I'll call you around 12 PM tomorrow. Sound good?" He said, starring at the nurse who was tapping her foot and looking more and more annoyed as time passed by.

"Okay. Bye Smerek, I love you."

His heart jumped and he thought about the last time somebody told him that they loved them, and how much he screwed it up. "I love you too, Smarti." He smiled and hung up the phone.

As he stepped away from the phone booth, the man behind him gave him a dirty look. "Dude, I was talking to my baby sister who I haven't talked to in 2 years. Cut me a break." Derek rolled his eyes and started to walk down the hall, but before he got far, he saw a familiar face. His Shrink. "Hey Peggie." He said, as he kept walking to his room. "Starting fights will only keep you in here longer, Derek. Don't want you to go home and see your baby sister as soon as you can?" Peggie asked, and she walked the opposite way down the hall. "There's a lot of things and _people _I want." He said, as he walked into his room.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Casey gathered all the pictures together and put them up, on the shelf of her closest as Jamie stood under her, catching the ones that fell. "Casey, were you and my dad ever in love?" Jamie asked. Casey's heart skipped a beat and she looked down at her. "No." She said, plain and simple.

"Have you ever kissed him?" She asked.

Casey's heart beat even faster. "No, why would you think that?" She asked, unaware that her face was turning red. "Well, This picture says other-wise." The young girl held up a picture.

Casey was sitting on Derek's lap. Their lips were connected and their eyes were held shut tight. They both looked so happy. And Derek's smile was showing through the kiss.

"Where did you get this!?" She asked, ripping it from her hand. "It fell from that box." Jamie pointed up to one of the shoe boxes that was pushed to the side. It was one that had never been touched since Casey moved into her apartment. Actually, she didn't touch it since she took it. It was labeled 'Derek's Pix.' She was too scared to go through it. She just avoided it all these years.

She flipped over the Polaroid picture, and on the back there was writing. Casey could tell it was Sam's. _'Black Mail.' _Then under neath of it was a big smiley face.

She forgot his picture even existed. She forgot that night even existed.


	11. Watch Your Words, Derek

**Brie Jonas: Nice last name (; haha, which one are you married to?? lol, And yes, Marti is 13 now (:**

**I don't own anything :(**

"Hello?" Casey asked groggily as she picked up the phone, half asleep.

"Its me." Derek said, leaning against the wall, slipping on hand into his pocket, and another holding up the phone.

"Good morning." She said, sitting up. "How are you? And what time is it?" She asked, noticing she unplugged her alarm clock to plug in Jamie's night light who slept on the floor in her bedroom.

"Its 7:24 and, I'm good." Derek said, looking up at the big clock hanging on the wall.

Casey blinked a few times and memories of last night flew into her head. "Hey, I ummm, was going through some pictures last night." Casey said, instantly regretting saying that.

"Oh, cool." Derek said, not thinking anything of it.

"I found the one from Emily's birthday party." Casey said, her heart starting to beat faster. She was unsure of what he would say.

He made a light chuckle and ran his fingers through his hair. "Which one? I've gone to every single one of her parties since she was 10." Derek said.

"Her sweet 16." Casey said, a little quieter.

His eyes grew bigger and his heart beat got faster, he knew exactly what she was talking about. "Oh." , was all he managed to get out.

"I was really drunk tha..." Before Casey was finished Derek spoke.

"Me too." He tried to make it less awkward, but nothing really help except changing the subject. "I called my dad yesterday." He said blankly.

"Oh? What did he say?" Casey asked, happy that he changed the subject.

"He was an ass, as usual." Derek said, then looked at the nurse who was telling him that his phone time was almost up. "Are you coming to visit today?" Derek asked, he wanted to know before he got off the phone.

"What time?" Casey asked, checking on Jamie who was still asleep on the floor. "10 AM." Derek said.

"Yea, I'll be there." Casey said, getting out of the bed.

"Alright, I gotta go, see you then." With that, Derek hung up the phone, and let the woman behind him use it.

**_-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_**

Casey did that same thing as she did the day before and was now sitting in the same room, only a different spot, and a different desk. "Foooooooood." Derek sang as he opened up the Wendy's bag.

"Your the best, I swear." Derek said, pulling out a cheese burger, and making Casey laugh.

Before Casey could say anything, Maggie walked up to them. "Hello, you must be Casey." She smiled and held her hand out to Casey. Casey looked confused and slowly shook it. "Yes... and you are?" She knew she was somebody important, judging by the papers in her hand and the name tag she had on, so she asked nicely.

"Derek's therapist, Margret. But you can just call me Maggie." She smiled, and pulled her hand back to her. She had long blond hair and dark brown eyes. She was 36, but she looked very good for her age.

"Oh, hello." Casey smiled. "I don't know how you deal with all the things that go on in this ones head." Casey giggled and roughed up Derek's hair. He pushed her hand away and laughed.

Maggie politely smiled and began to speak. "It's not _that _bad. I think hes just confused about life." With the second part, she began to get more serious, causing Derek to get a little uncomfortable.

Casey made a small smile and looked over to Derek. "If its alright, I was wondering if we could all talk... Together"

Derek's heart skipped a few beats. He wasn't sure if he wanted to. He usually poured his heart out to Maggie, but not to Casey. Normally, his conversations with Maggie, were _about_ Casey. So he wondered what they would talk about.

"Its fine with me, Derek, do you want to?" Casey asked, watching him eat they burger. "Can I bring the food?"

Casey shook her head and laughed, then stopped when she realized he was serious. "Sure." Maggie said, with a huge smile. The fake ones most therapists have.

Derek got the food, and they all walked down the hall and into her office. Casey looked around and saw how neatly everything was placed, it reminded her of _her _office.

Maggie took a seat behind the desk, and Casey and Derek sat next to each other in the seats in front of her.

"Well, how was your sleep last night, Derek?" She asked, slipping on a pair of thin black glasses and flipping through a few pieces of paper. "Good." He lied. Normally he would have told her how bad it was, but Casey was there, and he wanted her to be impressed with him.

"Good." Maggie smiled, still looking down at the papers. Then wrote something down.

"Alright, Casey, the spot light is on you. Tell me about your self." Maggie folded her hands and looked up at Casey. "Okay, where do I start?" Casey made a light chuckle.

"When you first moved in with Derek. For the first time, when you were teenagers." She said, looking over to Derek. Casey was surprised that she knew all of that.

"Well, my mom had just gotten married to his father, a month before. We were both 14 when I moved in." Casey took a deep breath.

Maggie nodded her head, telling her to go on. "We hated each other." Casey said through a laugh, causing both Derek and Maggie to laugh too.

"How did you guys act towards each other?" Maggie asked, writing something else down.

"Pranks, fights, insults. You name it..." Casey said, rolling her eyes and remembering the old days. "Did you two ever get along?" Maggie asked, bringing her head back up.

"Barely. I mean, Derek would care, but he would care in his own way. Like, he would do something nice, but make it seem like it was mean." Casey smiled.

"Give me an example." Maggie said.

"My poem." Casey and Derek both laughed, remembering that memory. "I put so much effort into this poem, which he totallt switched, and wrote something about me having 'stinky feet'." Derek started to laugh quietly to himself, he was lucky she found it funny now, or else she would have killed him.

"But then he ended up putting it back into the school news paper. But at the bottom, he said I have stinky feet." Casey laughed.

"What about Tom?" Maggie asked. Casey raised an eyebrow at Derek, she didnt know he told her about him.

"Tom was one of my boyfriends." Casey said quietly. "He wasnt the best."

Derek made an angry chuckle. "He hit you." He said, putting it into more blunt words.

Casey had anger in her eyes that he would even bring that up. "You should talk." She said coldly under her breath as she got up and left the room.


	12. Surprise Visit

**ughh, I'm having a sucky birthday, so I desided to write some more (:**

**thanks for the reveiws!**

**I**** don't own anything :(**

"Hey Smarti." Derek said into the phone. No matter how much was going on, he wasn't going to break his promise to his baby sister. "Hey Smerek!" She shrieked. "Soo, When are you going to visit?" Marti asked, trying to walk out of he room her father was in.

_'Ask him where he is, Marti.'_

Derek heard his dad say in the background. He rolled his eyes as she asked him. "Where are you?" She was quiet, and was scared of the answer. "In rehab." Derek said as if he was ashamed of himself.

"Oh, well, its not that bad. At least your getting help." Marti tried to smile as if he was there, watching her. _'He shouldn't have to be there in the first place.' _He heard his father say as he walked into the kitchen where Marti was sitting at the table.

He wished he was there to punch his father in the face. _"Dad, just shut up."_Marti said, sticking up for her big brother. "Sorry, Smerek." She said, putting the phone back to her ear. "Its fine. Anyway, You should come and visit." Derek said, wanting to see her so incredibly bad.

"I dont know. I dont really have a ride, and I dout Dad is willing to taking me." Marti rolled her eyes, looking over to George. She felt horrible as she heard Derek sigh on the other end of the line. "Hey, Moms in town. She should give me ride." Marti said, jumping up, and becoming happier and happier.

_'I don't think so.' _George said. But there was no stopping her. She was going.

"When is the next visiting hour, thingy??" Marti asked, running up the steps and into her room. "Its at 4." Derek said. Marti wrote down '4 o clock' on a piece of paper, then dropped it on her night stand. "Alright, I'm calling mom now. Oh, wait. Where are you?" Marti laughed at herself, she didn't even ask that yet.

Derek chuckled and said, "ASTV".

Marti shook her head and wrote that down too. "Okay, _now _I'm calling mom. She'll be so happy to see you!" Marti squealed before hanging up the phone.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Was I wrong? Should I not have walked out??" Casey asked Jenny. Jenny was sitting in the same chair in Casey's office. "Yes! Its obvious that you two love each other! You should have stayed and worked things out!" Jenny cried. Casey starred at Jenny. She always envied her. She was beautiful, everything about her. Her hair was short and brown, and perfectly curled, not the ugly, frizzy curls that Casey hated, but the perfect, 'must-have-spent-3-hours-on-it' curls. She had big green eyes that she knew how to make stand out with the right make-up. Casey almost thought it wasn't possible to get the perfect body, then she met Jenny. Her legs were in perfect shape from all the tennis she would play, and pretty much _no _fat, since she's on a diet 99 percent of her life.

Casey sighed and looked at the computer. "My life sucks." She said under her breath.

"No, _you _do, Miss.Grumpy!" Casey's head immediately turned to Jenny again. "You need to go there and confess your love for him!" She yelled, over dramaticly. "Shut up!" Casey whispered.

"And I'm not doing that." Casey said as soon as she checked to see if anybody was listening to them in the hallway.

"Well, I don't expect you do that, _exactly_." Jenny rolled her eyes. "Just go and talk to him."

Casey plopped down in her computer chair and looked helplessly up at Jenny. "I don't get it, Jen. I'm not supposed to like people like him." She shook her head and then let it fall into her hands.

"What do you mean? _People like him_?" Jenny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"People who think its alright to wake up at 2 in the afternoon. People who only read the newspaper because they want to read the comics. Who put _juice _in coffee mugs!" Casey said. She took a deep breath and went on. "People. Who. Have. That. Stupid. Annoying. Adorable. Smirk. That. I. Cant. Get. Out. Of. My. Head!" With every word, she was hitting her desk with the palm of her hand harder and harder.

Jenny raised her eyebrow even higher at her and realized she needed mental help. "Okay. Well... How about some_ real_ reasons? Jenny asked, folding her arms.

"Hes addicted to drugs, with a daughter who is living with me, and hes my 'ex-step-brother'." Casey said, dipping her head. "Okay, those may be reasonable excuses." Jenny said, biting her bottom lip.

"Anyway, About that kid, shouldn't you be picking her up from your mom's like... Now?" Jenny asked, looking up at the clock on the wall.

"Shit!" Casey yelled, getting her stuff together and running out of the door.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Derek, I'm disappointed." Abby said, sitting next to Marti and across from Derek. But he was too shocked at how big Marti was to even realize that she was talking. "Derek!" She yelled, finally getting her attention.

"Sorry. What did you say?" Derek asked, turning his head to his mother, who was obviously angry with him. "I'm disappointed." Abby shock her head and blew her bangs out of her face.

"Well, I'm getting better." Derek protested.

"And getting fat." Marti butted in with a laugh. "Am not!" He yelled, looking down at himself. Abby couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "I must admit, Derek, You _are _getting a little chunky." Abby put her and over her mouth and tried to hide her smile.

"Well, Maybe. But I'm not _fat._" Derek said, defending himself.

"No, but maybe you should go on a diet." Abby shrugged her shoulders. "This isn't funny." Derek said, folding his arms.

"Then you have no sense of humor." Marti said as she busted out laughing, causing their mother to laugh too. Derek sat stiff in his chair with his arms tucked into his chest, and no smile on his face, but, deep down, inside he was happy to see them so happy.

"Am I interupding something?"

Derek's head shot up to the familiar voice.

Casey was standing there with Jamie's hand in one hand, and a McDonald's bag in the other. "Casey!" Derek immediately jumped up from the chair and ran over. "Daddy!" Jamie had a huge smile as she jumped into his arms.

"You came!?" Derek picked up Jamie and looked at Casey. "Dont get too happy. Jamie was bugging me." Casey held out the McDonald's bag, and he took it.

"Casey!!" Marti jumped up and hugged her waist, catching Casey off guard. "Marti?" She was shocked to see her. She was so big.

"Casey? What are you doing here?" Marti asked, finally letting go of her. "Long story." Casey smiled and pulled up a chair to them.

Derek sat down and put Jamie on his lap as he shared his food with her. Probably the only person he would share it with. Marti starred at him and remebered the times when _she _was Jamie.

"So, how have you been, Casey?" Abby asked in a mature voice.

"Very good." Casey lied. "And you?" Casey sat up and painted on a smile. "Good, good." Abby smiled, then looked back at Derek and Jamie. "God, Derek. She is the spitting image of you." She smiled.

"Thank you!" Jamie yelled with a big smile from ear to ear. Casey assumed she took that as a complament.

"I'm going out front really quick, To get some air. Dont get into any trouble, Missy." Casey said to Jamie as she smiled and walke away. She walked faster and faster as she got to the door, she was gasping for air and almost sure she was about to have a panic attack.


	13. FlashBack

**thanks for the reviews!**

**& another thing: SMiiLEY4 Has a new Story, its a Dasey & I think you would really like it. You should give it a try (: Its one of my favorites (: Its called 'There's Nothing To Save: Dasey' trust me, you'll love it!!**

**I**** don't own anything :(**

As soon as the air hit Casey, she was fine. She just couldn't take seeing him like this. It was killing her.

She heard the door open and her attention immediately turned to Marti who was now sitting next to her. "I was really great to see him again." She said, looking up at the sky. It was light blue, and there wasn't a cloud in sight.

"Yea, he was really happy to see you." Casey held on tighter to her purse. Marti shook her head and squinted her eyes. "No offense, Casey. But, how did you and Derek get so close all of the sudden? You know? I thought that you guys hated each other?" Marti said, leaning back on the bench.

"He needed help, so I helped him." Casey said, looking down at her. She still couldn't believe it was little Marti. "That's really nice of you. You know, I just wish that's what my dad would have done, instead of giving up on him." Marti said.

Casey nodded her head. "Why didn't you give up on him?" Marti asked her. But Casey didn't know how to answer her question. Probably because she wasn't sure of the answer herself. But when Marti was looking up at her, waiting for an answer, she just said the only thing that was on her mind.

"I've held on through so much. Why would I just give up now?" Casey shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her shoes. "But my dad has known him his whole life, and hes...His father." Marti said, looking up at her.

Casey shook her head closed her eyes. Marti noticed how much stress she was going through. "You deserve to smile." Marti said quietly. A small, weak smile grew across her face, but it wasn't fooling her at all. Marti shook her head and made a small laugh. "Casey, stop. Your not happy, and that's not good. Don't let Derek bring you down."

"Hes not bringing me down, sweetheart. Hes really a good person, he just needs help." Casey's weak smile appeared again. It was a sad attempt at trying to be happy. "I know, but, you have your own life now. Your not Jamie's mom, and your not Derek's girlfriend. You shouldn't have the repondsponablites that you have." Marti said.

"Marti, I don't mind, really." Casey was a horrible liar, and Marti knew. She may have been a lot younger than Casey, but she knew what was going on in her mind. "I wont make you do anything, but, just remember, its alright to think of your self every now and then." With that, Marti got up and walked back inside.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Marti sat across from Derek. It was only the two of them. The rest were out front with Casey. Derek sensed a serious conversation coming on by the look in her eyes. "What are you doing?" She whispered, hurt filling her voice. She was on the verge of tears, and Derek felt horrible. "I don't know anymore." He said with his head hanging down, almost as if he knew he had broke his baby sisters heart.

"I used to look up to you. You were the coolest person I knew, and now your just a loser. You have no life and your hurting Casey, and everybody around you, You have to grow up, Derek." She whispered, a tear fell down her cheek, and as it fell off off her, she swore it took her heart with it.

Derek slowly started to lift his head. There was a look of surprise in his eyes, but it was mostly disappointment, In himself. "You called me_ Derek_." He said, a little hurt, but it was his own fault, and he knew it. Right then and there he would do anything to slip back to the old days where everything was okay, and the most drama he had was fighting over the remote with Casey. He wanted this all to be over. All of it. He was done with hurting the people he loved.

"Because I don't know _Smerek _anymore." Another tear fell from Marti's face. She wanted her big brother back. The one who would do anything for her, and the one who promised to be there for her, and love her forever, but she wasn't sure who this man was. "You look like him. You talk like him. You even sorta walk like him... But your not him." Marti said. By this time, she was crying harder then she ever has in her life. Her heart was hanging on a string and Derek kept poking it.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say. Nothing more, nothing less. He couldn't afford to destroy his sister even more then he already has. "And I guess I owe another 'Sorry' to Casey too, huh?" Derek said, letting his head fall into his hands. Marti gently nodded her head and got up.

Casey walked in with her purse neatly tucked under her arm and her chin held high. "I think were going to be leaving now. I'm taking Jamie back to the house." Casey said, showing no emotion. As she tried to walk away, Derek called after her. "Case..." She quickly turned around and really wished he hadn't done that. Because now it would be almost impossible for her to leave. "I'm sorry. For everything." Derek said, now standing up, and in front of Casey.

Casey slowly nodded her head and tried to keep it together. "I'm not happy, Derek. Not at all. I'm falling apart and my life sucks. I thought everything finally was going to pull through, then you walked right back into my life. For the second time. You know I couldn't do it the first time, Why the hell do you think I could this time?" Casey's eyes were shinny, and Derek figured it was from tears. He used to make her cry a lot, and he would normally just laugh, but there was something about it now, something that was killing him.

"I know we didnt work out in the past. But maybe, at least we could just be friends." He said, holding out his hand. Casey hesitated, but finally took it and shook it. "Friends." She whispered. The tears started to fall from her eye and she quickly walked away.

There was a big story behind being 'just friends.' One story that Casey is determined to keep a secret.

_--Flash Back--_

_"Casey, I was drunk." Derek said, as if it made anything better. "I don't care if you were aducted by aliens that night. We shouldn't have done it." Casey whispered as she pointed a finger in his face. They were both standing above the steps and George was waiting for them to come down and set the table. But they had bigger issues right now._

_"And besides, you were drunk, too." He said, folding his arms. "Not helping, Derek." Casey rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall. "Lets just, drop it. Pretend that it never happened." Casey said, sinking down to the floor._

_"What ever." Derek said as he quickly walked down the steps, leaving Casey by the wall, and crushing her. "Hmmm, What are you making?" Derek said, trying to open the oven, but his father slapped his hand. He let out a small 'Ow.' Then looked up at him. "It's a surprise for Nora. I think shes mad at me." George said, making a guilty face. "Why would she be mad?" Derek said, looking really confused. Nora barely ever gets mad at his father, so he must have really messed up this time._

_"Well, you know us Venturi's. I kind of had something going on with a woman at work. I think she found out." George let out a small chuckle. As if it were a joke._

_Derek starred at his father in amazement, disappointment, and flat out disgust. It was okay when he did it. But not his father. Besides, they were MARRIED. Its one thing when you cheat on a girlfriend, but on your WIFE!? "Dad!?" Derek yelled as soon as he was sure this wasn't a dream. "What?" George asked, taking the chicken out of the oven._

_Just then, Nora walked in the door. Derek could tell she had been crying, and she looked like her heat was broken. "Did you think I wouldnt find out!?" She screamed, looking straight at George and waiting for an answer. "Well!?" She looked crushed, and Derek needed to get away before she lost it. _

_He quickly walked out of the room and into the living room where Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti were. He picked up Marti and waved Edwin and Lizzie upstairs. "Whats going on, Smerek?" Marti asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nora and dad are having a conversation." Derek said as they got upstairs. _

_"They always have confersastions?" Marti looked confused, but Derek didnt answer. He put her down and looked at all the kids. "Lizzie and Marti, go in Casey's room, and dont come out until I tell you. Edwin, come with me." Derek pushed Edwin into his room and swung open Casey's door. She was sitting at her computer desk, doing some homework, Derek went over to her and started to whisper. "I need them to stay in here." He said._

**Hope you liked it! I put a little 'blast from the past' in here. The next chapter will start off as still in the flashback, just so that alot of the questions are answered (:**


	14. Finding The Truth In This Mess

**Brandonha: I'm so0o0o0o sorry. I sent you a message and I have no idea how to read mine. So if you sent me a message back, I'm really sorry, but I have no clue how to get it. lol, again, sorry!**

**& another thing: SMiiLEY4 Has a new Story, its a Dasey & I think you would really like it. You should give it a try (: Its one of my favorites (: Its called 'There's Nothing To Save: Dasey' trust me, you'll love it!!**

**I**** don't own anything :(**

_"Why?" Casey looked confused as she starred up at him. "Your mom and my dad are fighting." Derek whispered, trying not to let the kids hear him. "Well, I'll go clam them down." Casey said, starting to get up from her chair, but Derek pushed her back down. "Case, you cant just fix things like that." He said._

_She looked at him as if he were crazy. "Derek, Their fine, I'll just to talk to them." Casey chuckled and tried to get by him, but Derek didnt let her. "Casey! Sit down! This is one thing that you cant make better!" Derek sat her down and then realized that the kids, and Casey were starring at him like he was crazy. _

_"Derek, can I talk to you in the hallway real fast?" Casey asked, still a little zoned out in confusion. Derek and her stepped into the hallway and Casey folded her arms as she looked him in the eyes and leaned agisnt the wall. "Whats going on? Why are you over reacting?" Casey asked._

_Derek took a deep breath and started to talk. "My dad cheated on your mom." He said really quick. He could tell Casey was about to bitch, so he kept talking to prevent it. "Thats what he did to my mom, thats why they got divorced, and its NOT pretty. Trust me. I dont want the kids to see that." Derek said. He rested an arm on the wall, right over her shoulder._

_"Do you really think that their getting a divorce?" Casey looked scared. "I dont know." Derek whispered. "But I know its only gonna get worse and that we need to stay out of it." He took a deep breath and held his hand out to her. _

_She looked back and fourth from him to his hand. "What?" She asked, not knowing what he was doing. "Shake it. If were going to be going through all this. We need to be friends." He whispered._

_--END OF FLASH BACK--_

"Right, Just friends." Casey said, starting to walk towards the door. "I'll call you tonight!" Derek yelled after her as she pressed the big meatal doors open. "Alright!" She yelled back.

As she walked outside, she saw Abby, Marti, and Jamie all waiting for her. "Okay, It was nice to see you, Abby." Casey painted on a smile and gave her a quick hug. "You too, Marti." Casey gave her a longer hug and brushed her bangs out of her face. "Come on, Jame." She said, taking Jamie's hand and walking her to her car.

"Casey?" Jamie said, looking up at her. "Yea, Sweetheart?" Casey asked as she stuck a key into the car. "Does my daddy still love you?" She asked as Casey stuck her in the back seat. She stopped and looked down at her. "I'm not sure he ever did in the first place." She whispered.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Marti walked into the house and yelled, "HOME!" Nobody really cared anymore, but she figured she would let her dad know. "Where have you been!?" George asked, walking into the room. "Me and mom went out to eat after we saw Derek." Marti said as she kicked her shoes off and put them on the steps."

"Do you think its alright to not call and tell me where you were!?" George yelled, walking over to her. She tried to go up the steps, she knew what was coming, but George grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. "I was with mom!" Marti yelled, trying to get his hand off of her arm, but he wouldnt let go.

"I dont care who you were with! You need to call and check in!" George yelled, pushing her down onto the steps. She quickly tried to run up them up he pulled her back down again. "Dad! Stop!" She yelled as she tried her hardest to excape him.

"I don't know who you think you are these days!?" George yelled. He threw her down on the steps and she quickly ran up them. She tried to ran as fast as she could to her room as she saw him running after her. She scaremed when she opened her bed room door. She slammed it shut right in his face and locked it. "I have a key, Marti!" She started to cry as she looked around the room and panicked. She put her hands on her forehead as she heard George walk down stairs, which ment that he would be getting the key. She grabbed a bunch of her clothes and threw them into a bag. She opened her bedroom window and dropped the bag to the ground, then jumped out after it.

She scooped it up and started to run as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. _"Hello?" _She heard a familar voice on the other end of the phone. "Hey, Emily. Listen could you do me a huge favor?" Marti asked. She tried to stay as clam as she could. "Sure, Huney. What do you need?" Emily asked.

"Can you pick me up, I'm about two blocks down." She said, out of breath as she was running. "Okay?" Emily sounded confused, but hung up the phone anyway. Marti was scared to stop running, but she had to.

She plopped down on the corner and prayed that Emily would be there in time.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Derek walked into Maggie's office and plopped down in the opisite chair that he usually sat in. "Changing chairs, Are we?" Maggie asked, looking at him over her papers. "No, Casey sat here before." Derek said, closing his eyes and wishing she still was.

Maggie raised an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I'm taking that as a sign that you miss her?" She said, putting all the papers into order. "Yes." He whispered. Maggie sighed and looked him in the eyes.

"You have been hiding things from me, Derek. I really need to know whats been going on with you and Casey if you want me to help you." Maggie said, folding her hands. Derek took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Alright. What I'm about to tell you, will not leave this room, promise?" Derek said, sitting on the edge of his seat. Maggie put her right hand up and whispered, "Promise."

"Okay, Casey was always so independent. So she would never want anybody's help. Which meant she would never let you know if she needed it." Derek said, scooting around a bit in the chair. Maggie nodded her head, telling him to go on.

"Well, I noticed that she was coming home from her dates with bruses, and stuff like that. I would ask her about them, but she would get so angry, and tell me to stay out of her busniss. It didnt take long for me to find out what was going on." Derek said. "Tom was hitting her."

Maggie nodded her head again. "Tom was my friend back in Jr. High, I always thought that he was pretty cool. Well once, he took it too far, and completely beat her up, So, I went after him, and completely beat him up." Derek made an angry smile, remembering how good it felt to punch him in the face. "If Sam hadnt pulled me off of him, be probably would have died." Derek said.

"Wow." Was all Maggie could force out, but that wasnt even half of the story. So Derek went on, "Casey found me beating him up, and she was the one who told Sam to get me off of him. She got mad and went to Emily's house for a party, and for the first time in her life, Little Miss Perfect, drank away her problems." Derek rolled his eyes. "I found her at the party, and then I started to drink. After she was drunk out of her mind, she kept thanking me for beating him up and stuff. And... Things just happened from there." Derek shrugged his shoulders and looked expectingly at Maggie.

"Why did you beat him up?" Maggie said, leaning back in her chair an chewing on her blue pen. "Because he hurt my step sister." Derek said.

"Did he hurt your _step sister_, or did he hurt your _girl_?"


	15. I Give Up

**Oh. My. God. I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Hahaha, the reviews just poured in like crazy! i knew that last line got a lot of people excited!**

**I Own Nothing.**

Derek looked up at Maggie with a confused face. How was he supposed to answer that? What did she expect him to say? Would she think that he was a freak if he said 'his girl' ?

There was so many things running through his head. Memories, Feelings, Questions, but no answers. He finally snapped back into reality when he noticed how hard she was staring at him. "I... I really don't know." He said slowly as he stared off into space. Maggie shook her head and wrote down something. As she looked back up at him, she cracked a tiny smile.

"Well, you might not know, But I do." She shook her head and let out a small chuckle. "You love her, Derek. You always have, and you probably always will. That night that you guys considered a 'mistake', wasn't a mistake at all, It was a night that you acted on your true feelings." Maggie said, as if she knew it all.

Derek stared at her like she was God. Like she just figured out his whole life in just a few little therapy sessions. "I was drunk that night... So was she." Derek forced out, trying as hard as he could to cover up the truth from himself. Maggie shrugged her shoulders and opened her eyes wider.

"They say a drunken mind speaks sober thoughts." Maggie stuck out her tongue, just to throw him off a bit, she was having fun. "But they weren't thoughts, or words, they were actions." Derek said, trying even harder. Maggie rolled her eyes, and threw her pen down onto he table.

"That's not the point, Derek." She took a deep breath, then started again. "Look, until you admit the truth, I cant help you. Your not just in rehab for drugs, your here to realize the things you need to change in your life." Maggie said, leaning back in the chair. "Also, Its not fair to Casey. You need to stop leading her on, then just letting it be. You make her fall with no intention of catching her. Its wrong, Derek. Its its probably tearing her apart." Maggie said, starting to get serious.

"Casey is strong, and besides, she doesn't care about me." Derek said, rolling his eyes. Maggie chuckled and leaned up, resting her elbows on the desk and looking him in the eyes. "Derek, she does care, more then you'll ever know. Just because you _think _shes strong, doesn't mean she really is."

Derek heart started to beat faster and faster. Maggie knew him inside and out, she was right, she was _so _right. Right about everything. "Well, what am I supposed to do?" Derek asked her, looking lost and helpless. Maggie couldn't help but smile again.

"I think your on your own with that one. But don't worry. I'm sure you already know the answer." Maggie said, as she wrote down something else. Derek looked frantically around the room, then jumped out of his chair. "I have to fix this!" He yelled, before running out of the room. Maggie smiled and shook her head as she picked up her phone.

She looked down at Derek's paper, then Dialed the first number on the page. She waited for it to ring, then heard somebody pick it up.

"Casey McDonald."

"Hello, Casey. Its Maggie, you remember me, right?" Maggie said, smiling as if she were there.

"Yes, But Maggie, now is not a very good time." Casey said before slamming the phone back down, and confusing Maggie.

_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**_

Casey grabbed the keys off of her desk. Normally, she walked home, but these days were too stressful for walking. "Jenny, can you please tell everybody that I have a huge emergency at home, and I had to leave!?" Casey asked as she saw Jenny in the hallway. "Sure?" She said as Casey ran out of the doors.

Casey whipped out her cell phone as soon as she was outside. "Hello?" She asked into it, as she stuck the key into the side of her car. "Its me." Emily said.

"Its she okay?" Casey asked in a hurry as she got into the car. "Shes fine, I'm taking her to her mothers house." Emily said, trying to keep Casey clam. Casey shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Her mom lives like, a million miles away!?" Casey said as she started the car. "I mean her hotel, don't flip out, Case, I have it under control." Emily said before hanging up the phone.

Casey took a deep breath and let her head fall onto the steering wheel. "I cant do this anymore." She whispered through her tears.

_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**_

Jamie sat on the couch next to Lizzie and watched TV. "Lizzie, Did you know my dad?" Jamie asked, looking up at her, as they waited for Casey to come pick Jamie up.

Lizzie looked down at her and nodded her head, then changed the channel. "Was he nice?" Jamie asked, looking back at the TV. Lizzie chuckled and shook her head. "Not to Casey." She said, the smile still on her face.

"Really? But I thought he loved Casey?" Jamie asked. Lizzie looked down at her as if she was crazy. The smile fell and she raised an eyebrow. "Derek? Love Casey? I don't think so." Lizzie said.

Jamie shrugged her shoulders and went back to watching TV. Lizzie kept thinking about what she had asked her. Was it true? Did Derek really love Casey? Lizzie was deffenitly confused.

Both heads shot up when Casey walked into the door. "Casey!" Jamie yelled, running over and jumping into her arms. "Case? Have you been crying?" Lizzie asked, standing up and walking over to her sister. Casey nodded her head and sniffled. Nora walked into the room with a concerned look on her face. "Honey, are you alright?" Nora asked, taking Jamie from her arms.

Casey slowly shook her head. Nora told Lizzie to take Jamie upstairs, then took Casey into the kitchen. "Whats going on, Case?" Nora asked, sitting her down at the island.

"I cant do it, Mom. I'm worried about everybody but myself. I'm so worried that everybody will be unhappy, that I don't even care if I am or not. I just cant take it. Its too much." Casey broke down crying as her mother gave her a hug.

"Its alright, Casey. Your an amazing person, and everybody loves you." Nora said, trying to make her feel better, but Casey just shook her head and cried even harder.

"Everybody but him. The only person I want to. You know what, mom? I'm done with trying to make him love me, and I don't care anymore. I give up, I give up on him, just like everybody else did!" Casey screamed into her hands.

**Whoa, werent expecting that, huh? Don't worry. It wont be like this foreverrrr. lol**


	16. Casey's Happily Ever After Moment

**Thanks for all the reviews!!**

**I Own Nothing.**

Casey sat in 'Derek's Chair' in front of Maggie. "This is stupid." She said, under her breath. Maggie stared up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Whats stupid?"

"All of this, why I'm here." Casey said, being stubborn and folding her arms.

Maggie sighed and started to talk, "Its just one session, then you can leave." Maggie said, writing something down on the paper that was sitting neatly in front of her.

"Whats the point? Your not _really _going to help me. All you do is sit there, ask me stupid questions, that you KNOW will piss me off, and write stuff down on a piece of paper that has absolutely nothing to do with me!?" Casey said, looking Maggie in the eyes.

Maggie sighed and pushed all the papers aside. "Here." Then she unplugged the phone. She leaned back in the chair and held out her hands. "Its all about you, thats what you want, right?" Maggie asked, in a bitchy voice.

"I don't see why you have to be mean." Casey said in a quiet voice, leaning up. Maggie folded her hands and made a cocky smile. "Because, your mean to me." She took a deep breath and went on. "People are going to treat you the way you treat them, Casey. So, in other words, if you give up on Derek, There's a huge chance that he will give up on you."

Casey sucked on her breath, then held her eyes shut for a moment. "I thought you said that this sesion wont be about Derek." Casey said, remembering the phone call that Maggie had made to her earlier.

"Alright. Its all about you, I remember." Maggie said, running her fingers through her hair. Casey rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She wasn't used to dealing with people like Maggie. People exactly like _herself_.

"When was the happiest moment in your life, Casey?" Maggie asked, chewing on her pen. Casey looked down at the floor and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." She said quietly.

"Come on, you must have something." Maggie said, smiling, but Casey just shrugged her shoulders again. "Didnt you ever have a 'dream-come-true' moment, or have something happen to you that you've wanted your whole life?" Maggie asked.

Casey looked up at her, and couldn't help but smile. "There was this one night..." Casey started. Maggie nodded her head and smiled, she knew they were getting somewhere.

"Its was my prom. I was waiting for it for so long. I wanted it to be perfect. But everything seemed to fall apart that night." Casey said, the smile never leaving her face. Maggie looked confused. "I thought you said it was a happy moment?" She said.

"Well, Everything started to pull back together, and I got a new dress, and a new hair do, and I even got a fun limo ride." Casey said as the smile grew even bigger. Maggie nodded her head, "Now I want you to tell me who was around you that night." Maggie said, clearing her throat.

"My family, or what-used-to-be family." She said, the smile slowly falling from her face. "Who was the person who helped that dream come true?" Maggie asked, not aware of how much she was upseting Casey.

"Derek." She whispered, tears hiding behind her eyes. "Do you want to know what I told him that night?" She asked, looking up at Maggie with 'heart-broken' written all over her face.

"What?" Maggie asked, now seeing how sad she was. "I told him it was my 'happily ever after moment'." Casey said, quickly wiping the tear that fell from her eye.

"Is that how you pictured your prom?" Maggie asked, trying not to get into the whole 'happily ever after' thing.

Casey shook her head and made a small chuckle through the tears. "Not at all." She tried to smile. "If somebody told me that _Derek_ would take me to prom, and my dreams would come true with _him_ standing next to me, I probably would have laughed in her face." Casey took a deep breath and looked back up at Maggie. "But I'm so happy it worked out the way that it did."

Maggie smiled and took a deep breath. "Do you miss him?" Maggie asked, reaching into her and trying to find hope. "I see him everyday." Casey replied, looking at Maggie like she was stupid.

"I mean the old him. Do you ever wish he would come back?" Maggie asked her, leaning back up and resting her elbows on the table.

Another tear fell off of Casey's cheek. "More than anything." She whispered. "But, you know what? I cant have him back, and I wont. Ever. I would do anything to have him happy, even if it meant destroying my life, I would give up everything I have for him, Maggie. Why? Because I am in love with him, more than you'll ever know." Casey took a deep breath and started to cry harder. "And Jamie? God, she is so smart, and so sweet. She loves him just as much as I do. And she looks just like him, and even the things she does, they remind me of him so much." Casey put her head in her hands and started to sob harder. "I'm too attached, to both of them, And I'll say that I will give up, but the truth is, I wont, and I never will." Casey looked down at her feet and took a deep breath. "I'm in for life, now."

Maggie sighed and watched as Casey broke down right in front of her.

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Casey whispered. "This, Crazy, Stupid, Ugly, Never-Ending, Hateful, _Beautiful_ Mess."


	17. FINALLY, Some Dasey!

**OMG, just wondering, Did anybody realize different everybody on LWD is starting to look? Casey has bangs (which I've been waiting for, I always wondered what she would look like with them), Derek's hair is like, really flat (But cute) and hes alot more mature, and Edwin looks reallly old. Plus, I really like how Nora's hair is long (:**

**I Own Nothing.**

-- 3 Weeks Later --

"I'm free!!" He yelled as he fell to the ground and kissed the dirty sidewalk. "Ew." Casey whispered with a disgusted face, watching Derek go crazy about actually being out side.

"I forgot how good it felt to be under the moon!" He yelled, running around the parking lot. Casey made a small chuckle as she realized that he was truly happy, and she wanted to keep it that way. "I don't understand why they had to let you out at 10 at night?" She said, angry that she had to get out of bed to be here, but he didn't seem to notice.

Jamie was sleeping over Nora's house tonight, She was having too much fun with Lizzie, and refused to leave, but Casey didnt mine, it gave her and Derek a night to relax, and it was a good time for Derek to get used to being back at the apartment.

"Get in the car." Casey said through her smile as she climbed into the drivers seat. A few seconds later, Derek jumped into the car, laying his bag of clothes on the floor, under his legs. "Hows Jamie?" He asked as Casey started the car. "Shes good." Casey said, starting to drive away.

"What about Marti?" He asked, making Casey's blood run cold, and her face pale. "About Marti... There's something I have to tell you." Casey said, taking a deep breath, she wasn't sure if she should do this. "Is she okay??" Derek asked, looking confused and worried.

"She is now." Casey said, not daring to look him in the eyes. She looked straight at the road, and bit her tongue for saying anything. "What do you mean _now_?" Derek asked, putting one of his hands on the dashboard and the other on Casey's shoulder. Casey gently pushed it off and held her breath.

"There was just some problems at home." Casey tried to put it as nice as she could, but there's no nice way of telling him that the man he hates the most, was hitting one of the girls he loved the most. "What kind of problems?" Derek said, sitting up even more, Casey has never seen him so worried before.

"Well, Her and George were having a lot of fights." Casey said. She knew she needed to stop beating around the bush before Derek snaps and breaks all the windows in her car. "Damn it, Casey!? Just tell me what happened!" Derek yelled, but Casey still refused to look at him. She was scared, she knew the damage he could do.

When Casey didn't say anything, he knew exactly what had happened. "He was hitting, her. Wasn't he!?" Derek yelled. Casey just gently nodded her head, waiting for an extreme outburst fit, that was so big, she would have to pull over, but instead, he just sat there, staring at the road in front of them.

"God, I hate him. I hate him so much." Derek whispered, as his eyes started to look glassy. Casey tightened her grip on the steering wheel and prayed that life wasn't always so hard.

"Hes done it to me, hes done it to Edwin, But I never thought he would do it to her." He whispered, Causing Casey's head to almost to a complete 360. She stared at him with confusion in her eyes. "He hit you?" She asked, quietly and scared of the answer.

Derek just nodded his head, then held his eyes shut tight. "It was before you guys moved in. But, you know, It wasn't that bad, it was kind of a two-way-thing. I guess we just thought it was okay to beat up on each other when we were mad." Derek shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. "It all started back in 8th grade. I failed math or whatever, and he lost it, he was getting in my face, and screaming, so I pushed him, and he pushed me back, then things just went from there. And it would happen all the time... It would take hours, sometimes, for my mom to break us apart." Derek shook his head, and fell back against the seat.

Casey just listened and fought back the tears that wanted to fall so badly.

"Then, After you guys left, he started with Edwin, It was the same thing. Only it was me who had to break them up, and tell Marti that they were just playing." He took a deep breath, and looked out of the window again. "I mean, It wasn't completely bad, because we hit him, too. In fact, it was mostly us who would start it, not him. But, one thing that I will never understand, is why he hit us back... He was so much stronger than us, and he_ knew_ it. He would always cause so much harm to us, but we wouldn't hurt him the at all." He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I mean, yea, We shouldn't have hit him, because we _knew_ we would get the shit knocked out of us.." Derek made an angry chuckle. "But couldn't he have just grounded us, or whatever? Why did he have to go as far as he did?" Derek took a deep breath, and looked over at Casey. He was surprised when he saw the tears streaming down her face. It kind of made him want to let his tears go, but he would never do that. Even if the knot in his chest was hurting like hell.

"Its not fair." Casey whispered. "No kid should have to live like that." She said, wiping the tears out of her eyes so that she could still see the road. Derek nodded his head in agreement, than turned to her.

"Jamie is very lucky to have you as a father... Well, now that you've cleaned up you act." Casey took a deep breath and forced a troubled smile onto her face. "I just hope you stay this way."

Derek gently nodded his head. They sat there for a few moments in silence.

"Casey, You know me, and you know I don't normally do this, but Thanks." The knot in his chest started to get smaller as he spoke. "Thanks for everything."

Casey just nodded her head and tried to smile. "And I'm sorry for all the shit I did to you, and how unhappy I made you." Derek confessed, but Casey shot a look at him and shook her head.

"I'm only unhappy because you are." She whispered. "And I'm happy when your happy, Derek. You don't understand." Casey took a deep breath and pulled over the car, so she could look him in the eyes.

"I wasn't a Christian, before, but now, I pray every night, _for you_. I wasn't a mom before, but now, I find myself raising Jamie, _for you_. I wasn't a fighter, before, but I would killanybody if they ruined the progress you've made, _for you_. I didnt want to give up anything, before, but now, I'm putting it all on the line, _for you_. My point is that I would do anything for you, and you come before ANYBODY in my life, now, Derek." She held her eyes shut tight, and whispered, "I'm _so _in love with you."

Before Casey knew it, Derek's lips were gently resting against hers. She held her eyes shut tight, and wrapped her arms around his neck. This kiss was so much better than the other kiss, this kiss was sober, and _real. _She loved this kiss, she loved him.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered before kissing her some more. "Its okay." She whispered back to him, between kisses. "God, I need you." He said as he leaned over her, forcing her into the back seat. He could feel her smile under his lips, and he loved it. "Back seat? I feel like a teenager all over again." Casey teased as she laid across the seats, on her back.

Derek slowly started to kiss her neck, and got faster as he realized she was getting impatient. He gently unbuttoned her blouse, and pealed it off of her tan skin. She gently raised his sweat shirt up, and over his head, reveling only a wife beater.

Derek stared down at her bra. It was pink, with lace around the edges, in Derek's mind, it was the sexiest thing he's ever seen. She leaned up a bit, taking off his shirt, and letting him unhook her bra.

He quickly tossed it into the front seat. "I love you." She repeated into his ear. "I love you too." He whispered, starting to unbutton her jeans.

-- 45 Minutes Later --

Casey laid across the seats, next to Derek, in his arms. They had a blanket over them that Casey found in the truck, a few minutes ago. "I knew there had to be somebody out there." She whispered, but Derek just looked down at her, confused.

"I always knew the man of my dreams was out there. But I almost gave up hope trying to find him." She whispered through a smile. "Well, look no farther." Derek said in a big, manly voice, causing Casey to laugh.

"I can't believe we just had sex in the back seat of my car." Casey said, looking around the car, this was deffenitly new to her adult life. "So?" Derek whispered, stroking her hair and kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"So, Your daughter sits back here!?" Casey cried through a slightly amussed smile.

**YES; Dasey!! Finally, I know. haha. anyway, I was going to write a full sex scene, but I'm really bad at them, so I desided not to. lol, hope you like it, please review!**


	18. No More Pretending For Casey

**Hey, I think that alot of you got the impression that its over, lol. Its not, but let me know if you want it to be any time soon, or something. ahaha, ley me know if you have any ideas!**

**I Don't Own Life With Derek :(**

Casey sat on the couch with the phone pressed against her ear. "Oh my God." She whispered, looking amazed and confused at the same time.

Derek stared at her from the kitchen, who ever was on the other line, was giving her extreme news, it made him concerned. "What!?" He whispered loudly, asking her what was going on, but she just waved her hand, telling him to shut up.

She placed her hand over her mouth and took a deep breath, This was killing Derek. He hated not knowing what was going on. "What are you going to do?" She asked a little louder into the phone. Derek walked out of the kitchen and plopped down next to Casey. She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Hold on, Jenny. There's an _idiot_ next to me." She said, slowly turning her head to Derek.

He stuck out his tongue as he started walking into the bathroom, where Jamie has been for the past 5 minutes. "What are you doing in here?" He asked, opening the door. He was even more confused when he saw Jamie standing in front of the sink, just staring at the counter. "What is that?" Derek asked, walking closer to her. She shrugged her shoulders and Derek looked down.

There was a small make-up case filled with razors, scissors, and just about every other sharp object in the world. "What is that for, Daddy?" Jamie asked, looking up at him with so many questions in her eyes.

Derek felt like he couldn't breathe. "Jame...Jamie, go to Casey's room. Stay in there for... For a second." He forced out the best he could. Jamie quickly skipped to Casey's room, and Derek scooped up the case. He marched into the living room, and suddenly, didn't care how important that phone call was.

"What the fuck is this, Casey!?" Derek yelled, dropping the case on the coffee table in front of her. "I'm going to have to call you back, Jen." Casey said slowly, hanging up the phone. She just sat there and stared at the case.

"I..uh.. I went around the house.. And I put all the things that Jamie could get hurt on in there." Even _she _was surprised with how fast she came up with that lie. But Derek wasn't buying it.

"Let me see your arm!" He yelled, concern and hurt filling his eyes. Casey forcefully shook her head and tugged down on her sweater. "Let me see!" Derek yelled, pulling it closer to him.

He pulled up her sweater and felt his stomach drop when he saw small, red lines going all different ways along her wrist.

"Are you crazy!?" He asked, his eyes growing big and tears filling them. "No." She said quietly, pulling her arm back and looking at the floor. "Case..." He whispered, staring at her.

Tears started to fall down her face as she looked up at him. "I can't take it anymore, Derek." She whispered. "I'm under way too much stress." She cried, standing up, so that she was inches away from his face. "Case... You could kill your self." He whispered, running his fingers gently along her wrist.

"Its not my intention to _die_, Derek." She said, pulling her wrist back.

Derek shook his head. "I'm sorry. This is because of me." He whispered. "I'll leave, you can have your space, and no more stress, I'll take Jamie, and I'll call Sadie." Derek said, walking over to Casey's room.

"No! Derek!? You can't leave!?" She yelled, following him. "Its for _you_! I'm not leaving because I _want _to!? Don't you see how bad I am for you!?" He yelled, opening the door, and taking Jamie into his arms.

"Where are you going to go!? You can't just take her out on the streets at 11:00 at night!" She yelled, making him put Jamie down. "I'll call Sadie." Derek said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone.

"DER-EK!" She screamed as he didn't listen to her at all.

He dropped the phone to the floor and tears filled his eyes.

"What?" She asked softly as she realized how he was reacting to something as stupid as her yelling at him. "Say that again..." He whispered, walking up to her, and resting his arms on her shoulders.

"Derek?" She whispered, looking very confused. He shook his head and squinted his eyes. "Like you did before." He said, still keeping his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Der-ek?" She tried one last time, still wondering what was going through his head, and how crazy he has gone.

"Yea..." A smile grew across his face. "Okay, what the hell is wrong with you!?" She asked, putting her hand against his head to check for a fever. "I'm fine." He said, pushing it down. "I knew you were still there." He whispered.

Casey took a giant step back, causing his hands to fall, and looked at him like an anamial. "Still where?" She asked.

The smile grew bigger across Derek's face. "Its still you. Its still the old Casey..." He realized how stupid he sounded, and started to laugh, but Casey found no humor in it. "You used to say my name like that when I wouldn't listen to you... Or got on your nerves." Derek said.

Casey raised an eyebrow at him. "Its offical. Your crazy." She said, slowly cracking a smile. "Say it agian." He whispered, walking closer to her. She bit her lip and smiled.

"Der-ek!!" She yelled in an annoying and pissed-off voice. They both laughed.

Hearing her say that made Derek think that there was still hope to be happy agian. They could go back to the way things used to be. Minus the fighting.

"Daddy, are we still leaving?" Jamie asked, pulling them both back into reality. Casey and Derek's smiles fell. Derek took a deep breath and looked into Casey's big blue eyes.

"She didnt give up on me. Theres no way I'm gonna give up on her." He said to Jamie, causing Casey to smile again and wrap her arms around his neck.

He held on tight to her waist, then picked her up, causing her and Jamie to giggle. "What about me!?" Jamie cried, jumping up and down, holding up her arms. She would never let her daddy forget about her. Derek laughed and put down Casey, then picked up Jamie, placing her on his shoulders. "Okay, now your turn." Derek turned to Casey.

"Derek, I don't think this is a good idea its not sa..." Before she could finish, Derek was carrying her. "Where to!?" Derek asked in a super hero voice. "Bed." Casey said sternly, looking up at Jamie. "It is way past your bedtime, missy." Casey said, causing Jamie to frown.

-- One Hour Later --

"It took a freakin HOUR to get that kid to sleep!" Derek said, plopping down on the couch. "Welcome home." Casey said through a smile. "Shes happy to have you here." She said, laying down and resting her head on Derek's lap.

"Case, Do you remember when I first moved in, And you would pretend that you weren't mad at me?" Derek asked, looking down at her. She giggled and nodded her head.

"Well, I didn't mind it, then. But now, were in a for-real, serious situation. Your cutting yourself, Casey. We cant pretend you aren't." Derek said, making more sense then he ever has in his life.

"I know." She whispered as Derek ran his fingers through her hair. "Why? what do you get out of it?" Derek asked, shutting off the TV.

Casey shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. "Control." She said simply.

"Come on, you already have that. You've had it your whole life." Derek said, closing his eyes too. "No, I made everybody _think _I had it." She said as she slowly drifted off to sleep, but Derek was still awake, and now staring at the case of razors in front of them, wondering why she would want to destroy herself like that.

But then it hit him, thats exactly what he was doing before, just in a different way. And he remembered how hard it was to give it up.

He was going to be there, just like she was for him, and he was going to help her, even if it meant getting hurt in the process.


	19. Bitter Sweet

**I Don't Own Life With Derek :(**

"Here you go, sweetheart." Casey said, as she handed Jamie a cup of orange juice. She smiled up at Casey and took it. "Thank you, Mommy." She said as she skipped away, the juice falling, and spilling in every direction, but Casey didn't seem to care about her pure white carpets right now.

Casey raised an eyebrow and felt her whole body tingle. A small smile slowly crept across her shocked, yet touched face as she realized she liked being called 'Mommy', It made her feel _needed_.

Derek walked into the kitchen and noticed Casey staring at Jamie as she sat on the couch, slowly slurping at her drink. "You okay?" He asked, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth. "I'm fine," She whispered, falling back into reality. "and that was mine." She said, pulling the rest of it out of his hand.

"Did you make any for me?" He asked, looking around the kitchen, but failing to find anymore food.

"I think your capable of doing that yourself." She said, absent-minded as she walked into the living room. Derek squinted his eyes at her, usually, she always made him breakfast. And after the night that they had last night, he was really expecting it this morning, something was definitely going on.

Casey's goal over the past month was to be needed. It didn't matter who, or what needed her, but she really wanted it. She wanted the feeling of being there for somebody; being a role model. Now that Jamie needed her, She wasn't as focused on Derek as she usually was. Which was throwing him off track.

He stared at her as she plopped down next to Jamie and played with her hair. It was only 7 AM; Derek didn't need this confusion so early in the morning. What he needed -or craved- was his drugs. But he had to worry about Casey right now, and getting her help, even though at the moment, she seemed fine.

Maybe that was all she needed: _To be _needed. Maybe now she didn't need the help. Maybe, Derek is screwed.

He sighed and walked over to them. "Morning." He said to Jamie as he sat down on the floor, seeing as how Casey wasn't making room for him to sit down, like she normally does.

"Case, I was thinking maybe you should start talking to Maggie." Derek said, looking up at her, but she didn't seem to care, she was too busy messing with Jamie's hair. "Nah, I don't really like her." She said with a small shrug. Derek raised his eyebrow and shook his head.

_Pure confusion._

"Well, I thought that we agreed, you need help?" Derek said, shifting his weight to his feet, and standing over her. "I'll get it when I _want _it." She said in a frustrated voice, glaring up at him quickly, before going back to Jamie's hair.

"Whats your problem??" Derek asked a little louder, causing Casey to look back up at him. "Will you stop!? Jamie is sitting right here!" She yelled, holding her hand out to Jamie. She didn't want to start a fight in front of her. "Yea, I've noticed!" Derek said, angrily.

"Derek! She is your daughter!" Casey called to Jamie's defence. "Yea, And NOT YOURS!" He yelled before grabbing Jamie's hand and walking her into Casey's bedroom. "What are you doing!?" She called after him, jumping to her feet.

"Leaving! Like I should have a long time ago!" Derek yelled, throwing Jamie's clothes into a small pink bag. "Derek! No!" Casey cried, tears starting to come to her eyes. She was only a mother for 3 minutes? This was NOT cutting it.

"You have nowhere to go! Its not fair to Jamie!" Casey yelled, tears now streaming down her face. "I'm calling Sadie!" He yelled, shutting the door to the bedroom so that Jamie didn't hear them.

"YOU CANT!" She screamed. "WHY THE HELL NOT!?" Derek screamed back, pulling out his phone.

"She gone, Derek." Casey said in a whisper. Derek jerked his head back and looked at her like she was crazy. "What do you mean, _Gone_?" Derek said, fearing the answer.

"I don't know." Casey started to cry harder as she led Derek away from the door. "She hasn't called since you went to rehab. I keep trying to reach her and get in touch with her, but I cant." She took a deep breath as the knot in her chest started to hurt worse. "Her phone is disconnected and I have no idea who her friends are." She whispered, sinking to the floor, as she leaned against the wall.

"She has nobody, Derek." She put her head in her hands and started to sob. "She needs us, _both _of us."

Casey looked up at Derek to see him completely pale. He was barely breathing, and starting to scare Casey. "God! Case! What the fuck am I supposed to do!?" He screamed, punching his fist against the wall, making Casey flinch.

"I don't know." She whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest. "Please don't go..." She cried in a helpless voice, that made Derek sink down next to her.

He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. "It cant be like this forever. She cant grow up like this." Casey cried into Derek's shoulder.

"I just... I want her to be happy." Derek said through tears that he wouldn't dare let fall. "Me too." She whispered.

"Case... Were too fucked up for each other. We just cant be... together." Derek said in a low and sorrow filled voice. Casey sobbed and nodded her head. "Alright. We don't have to be 'together' but, please, just don't go..." Casey repeated.

"So we live together... But were not... Together, _together_?" Derek asked, just to be clear. Casey gently nodded her head.

She knew that they were horrible for each other. But she also knew that they were perfect for each other. It was so bitter-sweet. She wanted him, and she needed him, but she just wanted him to go away sometimes.

Right now was not one of those times.

She figured that the only way to win this never ending game, was to be together; but still be apart.

In other words; he will live there, and she will keep her distance.

_But They both knew this wasn't going to take long until it fell apart._


	20. Drugs And BooBoos

**PLEASE READ: hey guys! first off, thank you for the reviews, you guys are too awesome. Second, I was thinking about ending the story at about 26 to 30 chapters, I was wondering if you guys wanted a sequel! Let me know (: There is a poll on my page, please VOTE (:**

**Nope; Still don't own Life With Derek.**

It has been 3 weeks since their choice to not be together, it was ripping them both apart inside, but they knew it was something for the best, even if it hurt like hell. Derek found himself making his own breakfast, and every meal, at that. And begging Casey to get help. She rarely listened to him and most times it led to a fight.

**_-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_**

"Cutting yourself gives you control." Maggie said, as she unplugged the phone so that Casey was once again getting her undivided attention. Casey sat in silence, her only response was raising her eyebrow.

"You feed off of control, you need everything to go your way." Maggie said, taking a deep breath and trying to make eye contact with the broken woman sitting in front of her, but Casey refused.

"Or maybe its just a cry for help... Or attention." Maggie said, immediately grabbing Casey's tear filled eyes. "You think I do this for attention?" She asked in a small, yet harsh voice.

"Maybe. You tell me, Casey. Why do you do it?" Maggie asked, gently folding her hands and resting them in front of her on the desk. Casey made an angry chuckle and shook her head. "I do it because I want to. Because I say when I can do it, when I can stop, and how far I can go. _I call the shots_." She made a harsh smile at the older woman. "That's why I do it."

Maggie nodded her head. "Are you thinking about a rehab?" She asked, pushing Casey to her limit.

"Look, I'm not Derek, Okay!? I don't think that you are _GOD_ and I don't think that you can fix my life in a blink of an eye! I think that your advice _sucks_, and your not all that smart! I think your goal is to get me angry and make me yell! Hell no, I am not going to rehab, I have people that need me and a job that I _love_!" Casey held her eyes shut tight. "I'm sorry, If your offended but you really need to stop pushing every single one of my buttons!" She said in a cold voice.

Maggie leaned up and stared at her in the worst way. "I push your buttons because nobody else has the balls to!" Maggie said in a voice as mean as hers. "I act the same way the you do, and with Derek, I act the same way that he does. My goal is to make you upset, and is to make you yell! I want you to see what it is like to deal with somebody exactly like you! I want you to know what you put Derek, and the rest of your family through!" Maggie yelled.

Casey looked into her eyes. Maybe Maggie was right. And maybe; all these years, Casey had been wrong. It wasn't everybody else who was annoying and out-of-line, It was her.

"I guess I should probably stop...Then." Casey said in a small and hurt voice.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Alright, lets start over. Hi, I'm Maggie, and I'm not God." Maggie said, holding out her hand. Casey looked down at it, and questioned whether she should shake it or not. She sighed and made a half-hearted smile. "I'm Casey, And I'm a bitch." She said to her, as sorrow laced her words. She sighed and shook her hand.

Maggie flashed a pleasant smile at her as she took her hand back. "We all have a bitchy side." Maggie said said, falling back against her chair. "Yea, but, with me, its not just a 'side', its the whole damn thing." Casey said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Tell me about Jamie. I want to know more about her." Maggie said, placing a finger over her mouth.

"Well... Where should I start? Shes just flat out amazing." Casey smiled a real smile since the first time she walked into the office. "She has Derek's smile, eyes, and hair. Shes like... 'Mini Derek.'" Casey said through a tiny laugh. "That's just what the world needs, another Derek." Maggie said, rolling her eyes, causing Casey to laugh a little harder.

"Now, I know this is going to hurt, but I need you to tell me about Derek, and your relationship with him." Maggie said, actually feeling sorry that she had to ask.

"Derek," Casey said as she let out a deep breath. "Hes just so hate-able. But at the same time, so love-able." Casey said, shaking her head. "He could be so sweet if he wanted to be, but he can be so mean, too." She said, pouring her heart out to Maggie.

"Okay..." Maggie said, making her go on.

"Its like... I want him so bad, and I need him more than you'll ever know. But I just cant have him. Hes not for me." Casey said, lightly shaking her head, and fighting back the tears as hard as she could.

"I just want him to care." She whispered.

_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**_

Derek sat at the kitchen table across from Jamie as she ate the food Derek made for her. He was so proud, it actually tasted pretty good. "Daddy, What is wrong with you and Casey?" Jamie asked in her most mature 5-year-old voice, putting down her spoon.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked, raising his eye brow.

"You guys fight all the time, and now I'm always hearing stuff about drugs, and boo-boos." She took a deep breath and let her head fall to her hand. "And whats with all this stuff about getting help? Come on, Dad. If you need help, I'll help ya." Jamie said, crossing her arms. Derek wondered how somebody so smart, sweet and beautiful came from him.

Derek sighed and smiled even though he felt a piece of his heart break. "I'm afraid its not that easy, kiddo." He said, roughing up her hair.

_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**_

Casey was now in tears and had the whole box of tissues on her lap. "I just don't know how it ended up like this." She said as she blew her nose into the tissue. "We used to be so happy... When we were kids." Casey cried.

Maggie clacked her tongue and shook her head. "For somebody falling apart... You sure are a beautiful woman." She said, trying to make her feel better, but still staying truthful.

Casey held her eyes shut tight and made a small sob. "They say a woman glows when shes pregnant..."


	21. Its All In Your Hands

**I don't own Life With Derek.**

Casey walked into the apartment and dropped her keys on the table with a heavy sigh. Her hair was a mess and her make-up was smeared down to her jaw. Her eyes were red and filled with anger and sadness. She was falling apart -As usual these days.

"You look horrible." Derek said bluntly, as he sat across from her at the table, reading the newspaper. "Gee, Nice to see you too." Casey said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and plopped down in the chair. "I was crying." She said to her defense, in a low and sad voice.

"Oh." Was all he said before he went back to reading the paper.

"Since when do you read the news paper?" Casey asked, running her fingers through her tangled hair and taking a deep breath. "Since I need to find an apartment." Derek said, knowing it would lead to another fight. But, Casey just let her head fall into her hands.

"What happened to the agreement that we made?" She asked, her head still in her hands. Derek took a deep breath answered her. "Casey, we cant live in the same house. Its horrible for Jamie. She cant stand the fighting... She told me herself." Derek said, taking a sip of his water. As it ran down his throat, he waited for her to start yelling.

Casey sighed again and closed her eyes. "I cant talk about this right now." She whispered, but still didn't bother to get up from the table. She was too tired, and too drained.

"Whatever, I don't know why you have to take everything so seriously." Derek said under his breath.

"Shut Up, Fat ass." Casey shot back, immediately lifting her head and grabbing his attention. "I'm not fat." He said, throwing down the papers. Casey just made a bitter laugh. "Derek, Its perfectly normal to gain weight after getting off of the drugs." Casey said through a harsh smile.

"What do you know about 'perfectly normal'?" He said, forcefully pulling the paper back up to him, to cover his face so she didn't see him roll his eyes. "Your the craziest person out there."

"_Jr. High _called, They want their attitude back." Casey said, knowing that he was making some type of face behind the paper.

"Did they ask for their come-backs, too?"

**_-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_**

Casey stood in front of the mirror and curled her hair. She was so tired, She got barely any sleep last night. There was too much on her mind.

If Derek was going to move out, what was she going to do about the _person_ growing inside of her? She couldn't think about it without starting to cry, so she tried as hard as she could to block it out, but you can only ignore it for so long.

"I'm going out!" Derek called into the bathroom.

"Where?" She asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. He stopped in front of the door and looked her square in the eye. "The gym." He said shamefully.

She just burst out laughing, causing him to make an angry sigh and walk away. Soon after he left, Jamie walked into the bathroom with sleepy eyes and held on tight to her teddy bear. "Up so early?" Casey asked, looking at her through the mirror. "I heard you and daddy talking..." She said, rubbing her eyes.

Casey smiled and picked her up, placing her on the counter. "Jamie...?" Casey asked, going back to her hair. "Yea?" She said, groggily.

"Did you tell daddy that we fight too much?" Casey asked, looking at her with sadness in her eyes, but Jamie didn't say anything. "I know what its like to have parents who fight. Its not easy, sweetheart. But, me and your daddy love you very much, and we just want whats best for you..."

Jamie seemed to block out whatever Casey was saying, and went into a totally different conversation. "Is it alright if I just call you Casey for now on? I don't really remember calling my real mom 'mommy'. I think its easier to just call you Casey." Jamie said, leaning against the wall, and folding her legs under her.

Part of Casey's heart sank, but the other part understood. "Its alright, Sweetie." Casey said, smiling.

And their day got started off normally. Casey got her make-up done, then got Jamie dressed and did her hair. After, she dropped her off at Nora's house, then was on her way to work.

-- 9 HOURS LATER --

Casey had left Jamie at the house with Derek, and told them that she was just going for a drive, but that wasn't the truth, and Casey couldn't tell Derek where she was really going. He would have protested in a second.

She nervously knocked on the big, ugly, wooden door. She was even more nervous when she saw an older woman standing in front of her. She was about in her late forty's, or early fifties, but it was obvious she didn't take very good care of her self.

"Hi, You don't really know me. My name is Casey McDonald. I'm Derek's... Room mate." She searched long and hard for a short word that wouldn't scare the poor woman away, and all she came up with was 'room mate'.

"Hi." The woman had dark hair, a little longer than her shoulders and was quite chunky. "I was wondering if you knew where Sadie was." Casey said, playing with the string hanging from her purse.

"Why? What do you want with Sadie?" The woman asked, she seemed angry that Casey brought her up, and seemed like she really wanted Casey to leave, but she was determined to find Sadie.

"Well... Umm.. Jamie is staying with me and Derek, and we were supposed to keep in touch with her... But we really don't know where she is.." Casey said, trying to put it the nicest way she could.

"Its my fault you lost her?" The woman was clearly upset now, but Casey didn't know what to do or say to get her out of this mess. "Well... Your her mother? Shes only 14? Shouldn't you know where she is?" Casey asked desperately.

"Look, Its not my problem if the girl wants to run away with some guy. I can't stop her." The woman said, getting ready to close the door, but Casey held it open. "Excuse me? She ran away? With who!?" Casey was getting more angry by the second.

"If I knew, don't you think she would be here!?" The woman said, before slamming the door in Casey's face. She was shocked. How could you not care if your 14-year-old daughter ran away from home? There was something seriously wrong with this woman.

Casey slowly walked back to her car and just sat there and cried. She was going to have a baby with a man who tried to leave her everyday. She wasn't even sure that he would want this baby. But there was one thing she was sure about...

Neither of them were ready for it.

Casey started the car and drove back to the apartment, where her boring, horrible, drama-filled life was lived. She hated every minute of it, and wished she could just slip away into Heaven for a little bit.

As she walked into her apartment, about 20 minutes later, Derek was fuming with anger. He was pacing back and fourth and had his arms crossed tightly and held against his stiff body.

"Whats wrong with you?" Casey asked, shutting the door behind her, and dropping her purse on the small coffee table. "No, Whats wrong with _you_?!" Derek put his head in his hands and made a small groan. "Just stay away from my daughter... Okay!?" He yelled, surprising Casey and bringing tears to her eyes.

"What!?" She screamed. She had no idea what was going on. "What are you talking about!?" She yelled when Derek didn't answer her.

"Jamie came out of the bathroom, crying," He started. Casey nodded her head, telling him to keep going. "Blood... dripping down her arm... because she 'wanted to be like Casey'." He said, more angry then Casey has ever seen him, which was pretty angry.

Casey gasped and held her hand over her mouth as she cried even harder. "Shes 5-fucking-years-old, Casey! She cant be exposed to this shit!" Derek screamed walking over to her. She had to admit, she was getting pretty scared, yet she still yelled back.

"Like its all my fault!? When she starts doing coke, are you gonna blame me for that, too!?" Casey screamed, brushing her hair back. "I'll admit, I was wrong to expose her to that, but I wont take the blame for your stupid mistakes, too, Derek!" She yelled as more tears started to come from her eyes.

Derek just plopped down on the couch and for once, let the tears fall. "God, Case... The drama has to stop. _Now_. We cant keep doing this to her." Derek said, refusing to lift his head and let her see him cry.

"I'm so fucked up when I'm around you... But when you aren't around... I'm even worse." Derek whispered. "I need you. But then I need you to go away, I don't know, Casey!? I cant live with you, and I cant live without you!" Derek jumped to his feet, and Casey almost died when she saw him cry.

"I'm so in love with you that... I don't think its healthy." Derek made an angry chuckle through his tears and Casey fell to the floor. "So you _do_ love me?" Casey asked from the floor.

"More than anything, Case! You have no idea! You have the power to destroy me, and the power to save me. Its all in your hands." He confessed.

**Lol, apparently everybody forgot about chapter 17? (Or I just sucked at writing that chapter) hahaha, Derek and Casey did have sex, I just didn't go into detail or anything, I kinda just skipped into 45 minutes later. haha, you guys are the best, though! I'm getting soo many reviews! I LOVE YOU GUYS!! But yes; they did have sex. & don't worry; Dasey always ends up together... don't they?? (;**

**I might be going on vaction next Saturday, so0o0, that means no chapters for a week :( but I'm not sure if I'm going yet, I'll let you know :)**


	22. AUTHORS NOTE

**Hey guys, I'm sorry, this isn't a chapter, But, I just wanted to let you know.. I'm going to be going away for a week, (where there isn't any computers) Sorry!! I'm leaving today and I'll be back next Saturday.**

**Remember, There's a poll up, asking you if you want Sequel once this story ends! (:**

**Thanks for reading!**


	23. I'm Backkkkkkk !

**I don't own Life With Derek**

Casey took a deep breath and stayed at her spot on the floor. "I'll stop." She whispered.

"Stop what?" Derek asked, holding his head in his hands. "I'll stop cutting myself... And I'll stop playing games with you," She said quietly, but a little louder than before. "But, You've been playing games with me, too. Your not completely innocent." Casey warned.

"I know." Derek said, slowly looking back up at him. "And I'm sorry. I just don't want Jamie to end up...Well, The way we did." He said.

"And she wont... We could be happy. But we _choose_ not to be." Casey said, taking a deep breath. "We _choose _to fight, and we _choose _to fight with each other." She closed her eyes and thought hard about what she was going to say next. "And I _choose _to love you, and need you, every day of my life." She said through her tears.

Derek got off of the couch and slowly walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and sitting next to her on the floor. "We need to get our lives on track..." He said, closing his eyes and rocking her back and fourth.

"I know." She whispered into his arms.

They heard small sobs and looked up to see Jamie standing there was her teddy bear in one arm, and holding the other arm out. It was wrapped up in a bandage, that Casey was quite proud of Derek for wrapping up so well. "Whats wrong, Sweetie?" Casey asked, immediately wiping the tears out of her, and Jamie's eyes. "My arm hurts." She said, dropping the bear and holding her hand tightly around her wrist.

"Aww, Jame." Casey pulled her into her arms and tried hard to fight back the tears. "Why did you do this?" She asked, running her fingers over the bandage. "I wanted to be like you." She said quietly, breaking Casey's heart into the smallest pieces known to man.

"But it hurt too bad. Why would you do something that hurts so much? Casey?" She asked, tears still in her eyes. "Because I'm stupid." Casey whispered, rocking Jamie in her arms.

Derek just watched, and said the first thing that came to his mind. "No, Your not stupid, Your actually the smartest person I know. You just made a stupid decision. But, I should be the last one to talk." Derek said through a long and sad sigh.

"So are you guys still mad at each other?" Jamie asked, pulling her bear closer to her. Derek and Casey both made simple smile and shook their heads.

"Good." Jamie replied.

It took 2 hours, Children's Tylenol, and 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' to get Jamie back to sleep, but they managed it. They were a good team, even if they got sick of each other every now and then.

Sure, they would fight, but so did _any_ normal couple, even if they were anything _but_ normal.

Casey plopped down on the couch next to Derek and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just when I was actually getting used to the fights..." She said through a joking smile.

"So... Whats going on? Am I staying, or going?" Derek asked, shutting off the TV, and looking into her sad blue eyes. "I wish we didn't have to talk about this so much." Casey said, looking to the floor, but Derek pulled her chin back up. "We have to, Case. It's important." Derek said.

"Its up to you, but... There's some news that you might want to hear, first." Casey said, taking a huge breath as she felt her heart beat faster and faster. "Okay...?" Derek had a confused look on his face, but deep in his heart, he was sure that he was ready for whatever it was that she had to tell him.

"Derek, I'm pregnant." She said in a low and rushed voice.

Derek's jaw dropped and his heart sank into his stomach. "Oh no." She whispered, immediately regretting telling him. He face got pale and he looked like he couldn't breathe.

He clapped his hand over his mouth and quickly ran into the bathroom, causing Casey to almost fall off of the couch. "Derek!" She yelled, but at the same time tried to not wake up Jamie.

She slowly walked to the bathroom, and waiting outside of the door for a few minutes, then went in as soon as she made sure he was done puking.

She walked in and put some of the water into a plastic cup, that was sitting on the side of the sick, on top of the stack of the other cups.

"Here." She said, sitting down next to him. He gently took it and took a few sips, thanking her by nodding his head, and spitting out some into the toilet. She made a disgusted face, and went on...

"So, what are we going to do?" Casey asked, running her fingers through her hair and wishing she had waited before telling him. Or at least thought about it.

"I don't know. Your the smart one." He said, placing a hand over his stomach. Casey just shrugged her shoulders and waited for him to say something. "Case... I'm a horrible father." Derek said, telling her what he honestly felt in his heart.

Casey made a sorrow-filled smile and shook her hand. "No, your not. Your an amazing father, and your getting better every day. Jamie loves you more than anybody and I saw how good you wrapped her arm. I never knew Derek Venturi was capable of such things." She said playfully.

Derek's cheeks started to blush, but he couldn't help it. "Thanks." He whispered, taking another sip of the water.

Casey smiled as a memory came to her mind, the memory of the last time they were in this position in a bathroom, 6 years ago. "Remember when you covered me with shampoo?... When your threw that party, and we got locked in the bathroom?" She said, giggling harder at every word.

Derek let out a small laugh. "Yea." Casey pointed a finger in his face and made a serious look. "And that totally wasn't fair! I only had water! Your put shampoo all in my eyes!" She cried, but couldn't help but start to laugh again.

"I was evil." He confessed, holding up both arms. Casey's smile didn't fade, in fact it got bigger. "No, you were _Derek_."

"And..." Derek started as he reached across her and picked up a shampoo bottle. "I still am!" He yelled playfully as he squirted the shampoo all over her, but made sure not to get it in her eyes.

She gasped as she grabbed the cup of water from his hands and threw it over him. "Yo!" He yelled, throwing more shampoo on her.

She reached into the tub and got a bottle of conditioner. "Ha! Now what?!" She yelled as he ran out of shampoo.

Derek quickly jumped into the tub and grabbed the shower hose, turning it on and spraying it all over Casey.

"My bathroom!" She cried after she let out a high pitched scream.

"Your gonna wake up Jamie!" He warned, but continued to spray her.

"Too late." Jamie said from the doorway with a small pout.


	24. Fake Happiness

**Sadly, I Don't Own Anything :(**

"I guess we should tell Jamie." Casey said, as she plopped down next to Derek on the couch. "That would probably be best." Derek said, scratching his head and taking a deep breath.

"Well, we will tell her tonight. But, I have to go to work, now." Casey said, looking up at the small black clock hanging over the front door. "And... While your at your job, I'm going to go and find one." Derek said through a proud smile, as he stood up behind her.

Casey's face lit up with happiness. "Oh my God. That's great!" She said, giving him a quick hug and a small kiss on the cheek. "Is there any place you wanted in particular," Casey asked, picking her keys up off of the table and walking over to the door. "Cause I could drive you there before work." She said, as they both reached the door and stepped outside.

"Jamie, Come on!" She yelled, as she held the door open and waited for the 5-year-old to run out of it, and to the car.

Casey looked up at the sky. It looked like it was going to rain, and the air was so sticky. Personally, She loved this. If she had it her way, everyday would be like this. There was something about it that just... Made her happy. Normally, weather like this makes people sad, but Casey was never one to follow other people.

"I was thinking something like Rite Aid or Wal-Mart." Derek said, stepping down from the steps and walking next to Casey, over to the car. They parted and he got in the passenger side, as she got in the driver's seat.

"I could take you to the Walgreen's down the street, If you want." She said, turning to the back seat and strapping Jamie in, and smiling at him. "That would be great." He said as they drove away.

Casey dropped him off at the Walgreen's and promised him she would be home by 5 with Jamie, and told him not to burn the house down, and to make sure he filled out the application perfectly, with no lying. He finally just rolled his eyes, and she was on her way.

She did her normal 'say hello to everybody' before going into her office and seeing Jenny spread out across two ugly brown chairs with yellow flowers sitting in front of Casey's desk. "Ew? What the hell are you sitting on?" Casey said, running her fingers over the new chairs.

"I found them in the basement. You know, theirs a whole bunch of ugly stuff down there." Jenny said, digging into her bag of Cheeto's and smiling up at Casey as she sat at the desk. "Get rid of them." Casey said simply, turning on the computer. "Why? Their comfy." Jenny whinnied, sitting up and shaking her long, newly-dyed blond hair out of her face.

"Their _ugly_." Casey said, starting to read her emails. There was nothing exciting, the normal stuff. Work schedule, Magazine Cover ideas, and complaints from the boss about too many 'home emergenices'.

_'If he only knew the half of it.' _Casey thought as she deleted them all.

"Aren't you supposed to be writing a column... or something?" Jenny asked, throwing the empty Cheeto's bag into the small, black trashcan sitting neatly next to Casey's desk.

"Something that teenage girls can relate to." Casey said, letting her head fall into her hand. "I _hope _that teenage girls don't relate to what I go through." Casey said through an exhausted smile.

"But, that's the thing. _They do_." Jenny said, tucking her legs under her, and quickly flashing Casey her bright pink under ware. She threw her hands in the air and her eyes got big. She did this a lot when she had a good idea. "You could write about... Falling in love, or, depression... Or... Even addiction." Jenny said, her last word sharp.

Casey tilted her head and squinted her eyes. "Okay, get out. I need to work." She said as she pointed to the door. She needed to start writing before her idea left. Or, Jenny's idea.

Jenny shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room, as Casey started typing away.

_Addiction.  
By Casey McDonald._

_Addiction-- What is it? And why do most of us have it? It could be to anything. Drugs, Attention, Guys, Cigarettes, The Computer, Work, Cutting, anything.  
An addition (In my words) is a craving; Needing something, and going crazy to have it... But why? Why does it have to be so hard to deal with? Why is it so incredibly hard to shake? To get rid of? We try everything to get away from it, and to run away. There's a few ways to get rid of it. There's always rehab (If its really that bad.) We could go to groups, where you talk about it. Or, if it's really not that bad, and something small, like the computer... Or biting your nails, we could just give it up for a few days, and suffer it out for a little while.  
But, Honestly, there's no way to escape an addiction. It will always be there, and for the rest of our lives, we will have to (try) and stay away from whatever is was that got us so attached. They say that even when somebody beats the odds and give it up, Their still an 'addtict' and they will be for the rest of their lives. But, Is that really fair? Do we really need to be labeled as bad people for the rest of our time? No. Its not fair! Not one bit!  
If you give up your addiction and are strong enough to fight it, than you are amazing! And deserve to be labeled as an amazing person! Not an 'addtict'.  
Anyway, My point is that, It may seem like its impossible to give it up. Of course it sounds like that, and the reason for that is because of all the negative people around us. But the truth is, You can beat it, and if you care enough, you will._

_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --**_

Her day went on just like everyday, except she had to take time out of her break and move the ugly chairs back into the basement, and give Jenny a long speech telling her that just because something if comfy, doesn't mean it matches the room, and if she really likes it, there was always her office to move it into. Even if, for some reason, she spends most of her time in Casey's office.

She wrote another (stupid) page about 'how bad hair-days aren't always bad' and got in a fight with the office trap, who she was so sure was sleeping with the boss.

By 4:30 she was tired and drained, and her bed seemed like the most amazing thing (besides Derek and Jamie) at the apartment right now. She got in her lonely car, and drove to Nora's house to pick Jamie, and took her on a not-so-lonely trip back home.

Jamie told her all about how Lizzie has a new boyfriend, and she would rather talk on the phone with him than play hide-and-seek with her, which made her sad because Nora was too busy to play with her.

"So, then, If my mom didn't play with you, What did you do all day?" She asked as she reached down and took her out of the back seat. "I just watched TV." Jamie said with a shrug as Casey carried her into the apartment.

"All day?" Casey asked, setting her down on the couch and walking into the kitchen. "Well, I colored for a little bit." Jamie said, laying down and staring at the TV Casey turned on from the kitchen with the remote.

"Where's daddy?" Jamie asked, still focused on the TV. She was waiting all day to see Derek. She missed him.

"Right here." Derek said, walking into the living room. Jamie's face lit up and she jumped into her arms. This was the high light of her day. "Hey, How did it go today?" Casey asked, pouring a glass of water, and taking a long and big, refreshing sip.

"Good, actually," Derek said, setting Jamie down and walking into the kitchen with a proud smile. "after you dropped me off, I went down to Wal-Mart, and I filled out an application there, too." He said, taking the water off of her and taking a sip.

But she was too proud to care right now. "Derek! That's great!" She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so happy." She whispered, closing her eyes, and refusing to move from his chest.

"Could have fooled me." He said, running his fingers over her wrist.


	25. Together Forever

**Nope, I Still Don't Own Life With Derek...**

Jamie sat quietly on the small black couch and Casey and Derek paced next to each other. She followed them with her small brown eyes and wondered what was bothering them so bad.

Derek looked tired and flushed, Casey looked nervous and antsy.

Jamie should have been used to this by now, but for some reason, it still seemed a little weird to her. "Okay, I'll start." Casey said, finally breaking the annoying silence that filled the boring room.

Derek just nodded his head, He thought it was best for her to start anyway. Plus, if he were to start, he would have no clue where, or how.

Casey painted on the smile she usually has when shes talking to Jamie, and trying to stay clam. This, on the other hand, Jamie _was_ used to.

"Okay, well, When two people love each other veryyyyy much..." Casey started, and Derek rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, That's really how your going to start?" Derek said, dropping his hands to his side and shaking his head.

"Well, do you have a better idea!?" She asked, turning her attention back to him, and putting on her 'angry' face.

"You know what? Just let me start." He said, pushing Casey aside as if they were still teenagers and fought about everything. Casey just stood back and crossed her arms, she really couldn't wait to see this.

Derek sat down next to Jamie, and used his hands with his words as he talked. "Look, me and Casey have been getting closer over the time that we have been here..." Derek said, looking Jamie in the eyes. She looked confused and arched her eyebrows.

"You know, Like... Boyfriend and girlfriend." Derek said, choosing his words carefully. "Like love?" Jamie asked, tilting her head to the side and trying to understand what it was her dad was trying to say.

"Yea," Derek took a deep breath and smiled over to Casey. "Like love." Derek said, happily.

This made a small smile creep across Casey's face, and her cheeks to turn a bright pink.

"Alright..." Jamie edged him to go on.

"Well, When you're really in love with somebody, you start a family with them." Derek said with a smile. "By the way, Your not aloud to start a family until you're 40." Derek felt the need to throw that in.

Casey rolled her eyes, and Jamie looked at him with confusion. But, she still wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"And when you start a family, that means having a baby." Casey said, sitting on the other side of Jamie. Jamie looked up at her and smiled. "So daddy's going to have a baby?" She asked, looking back over to Derek.

Derek's smile dropped and Casey's got bigger, and soon turned into a laugh. "No, sweetie, Boys don't have babies. Girls do." Casey said, still keeping her bright smile. "So you're going to have a baby?" Jamie asked as her face lit up and a smile, twice as big as Casey's, went from ear to ear.

"Yep." Casey said happily.

"YAY!" Jamie clapped her hands together and jumped to the floor. "A boy or a girl!?" She asked loud and excited.

"Well, Were not sure yet." Derek said, laughing at his daughter's excitement. "Wait so... Will the baby be my sister or brother?" Jamie asked, she looked confused, but she was obviously still excited.

"Half brother or sister, but yes." Derek said, causing himself to smile even more.

"I want it to be a girl!" Jamie said, jumping up and down. "What do you want, daddy!?" She asked, jumping into Derek's lap, and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I wouldn't mind another girl. But a boy would be nice too." Derek said, looking over to Casey. "What about you, Case? What do you want?" Derek asked.

"I want a boy." Casey said, instantly dreaming of having a son, and wondering what to name him.

"Alright, Enough baby talk. It's time for bed." Derek said, picking her up and carrying her to her spot on the floor of Casey's room.

It really made him think as he laid her down. She doesn't deserve to be laying on the floor. She needs a bed, like normal 5-year-old's have, and they needed a house, not a small apartment, like they (or Casey) has now.

Once she was finally alseep, Derek came back out to Casey.

As she stood in front of the sink, washing 3 times the dishes she would have if Derek and Jamie weren't living there, Derek came up and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I can't believe were having a baby," Casey said, letting out a small sigh. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Casey asked, being her normal, panicky self.

"Well its not like we have much of a choice," Derek said, but Casey didn't really seem to listen.

Derek just made a small smile, and let her go on with her panicking. "We really don't even have enough space for you, me and Jamie. How are we supposed to fit a baby in here?" Casey asked, brushing a small piece of hair out of her face.

"That's why we need a house." Derek blurted out.

"A house?" Casey repeated, as if she hasn't considered it yet. "I mean, yea. A house." She said, trying to sound more certain. Derek arched his eyebrows and turned her around so that she was facing him.

"What? You don't want to?" Derek asked, being completely serious, and a little concerned.

"Well, its just. Our 'realtionship' isn't completely stable," Casey said. Derek wasn't sure that she had to use 'finger quotation marks' around the word 'realtionship', but he didn't say anything about it, he knew it would just make her mad.

"Don't you think that we should wait until something happens that makes us sure that we will be together for the rest of our lives?" Casey asked, trying so hard to keep the tears from coming to her eyes.

"Casey? You really think I'm going to leave you after everything that we've been through?" Derek asked, narrowing his eyes on her and trying his hardest to smile, but his lips just couldn't do it.

"I'm just scared that... Well, you'll get bored with me." Casey said, holding out her arms in an innocent way.

"How could I ever get bored in a relationship like this?" This caused a smile on both of their faces.

"I love you, Derek. I just need to know that you're in this for life." Casey said, turning back to the sink, and starting to wash the dishes again. "I wish this stupid place had a dish washer," She said under her breath, but Derek was too focused on what he was going to do next, that he didn't seem to notice.

"Umm.." Derek took a deep breath as Casey turned her head and stared curiously at him. "I was going to wait to do this, but, I think now would be a good time." Derek said, slowly moving down to the floor and resting one knee on the cold, white tile.

Casey gasped and gripped onto the counter. "I don't have a ring or anything, but...Casey McDonald, Will you marry me?" He asked, in a shaky, but sure voice.

Casey held her eyes shut tight and took a deep breath. "Whoa." Was all she could manage to get out of her.

"I was kinda hopping for more of a '_yes_'." Derek said, looking confused and hurt, but still hopeful.

"Derek, I'm not sure..." She said, finally catching her breath.

"What do you mean you're not sure? Its a yes, or a no?" Derek asked, getting himself back to his feet.

"You cant just ask me to marry you and expect us to be together forever." Casey said, trying so hard not to hurt him, but failing horribly.

"Typical Casey," Derek took a deep breath and made an angry chuckle. "Somebody goes out of their way and does something amazing for you, and you don't even care." Derek said, starting to walk out of the kitchen.

"Is that what you think!?" Casey yelled after him, as she started to walk behind him. "You think I don't care that you just asked me to marry you!?" She yelled as she followed him to the door.

"Well, It doesn't matter if you care or not, because I really don't." He lied as he walked out of the door, leaving Casey in tears, For what seemed like the 900th time.

**Don't worry, guys. See how it says "He _lied_." Of course Derek cares! He just said that to get her upset.**

**I just wanted to let you know, The next chapter is the last one, But I WILL be making a sqeuel! It should be posted right after the next chapter (:**


	26. Maybe This Mess Isnt So Bad, After All

_**I Don't Own Life With Derek.**_

"Are you crazy!?" She yelled into the phone as she sat on the kitchen counter.

"No." He said quickly and quietly on the other line.

"You can't just walk out on me like that! I didn't even have time to tell you why I said no... _And I didn't even say no_." She said the last part quickly. "I said, in other words, that we should wait." She said through an angry sigh.

"This can't keep happening." Derek said quietly.

This drove Casey over the edge, she was so angry that he would say that. "Derek! Your the one who keeps doing this! Not me! Your the one who walks out on me every time things don't go your way!" Casey started to cry harder as she went on. "I've never walked out on you! And you know it!" She took a deep breath and tried so hard to keep herself together, but she just couldn't do it.

"Even when you hit me, insulted me, and ripped me down to nothing, I _never _walked out on you!" She yelled, before taking the phone off of her ear, she almost hung it up, but, decided that there was something else she needed to say. "Derek, even when mom walked out on George, I still wanted to stay! Because I saw how bad things were going for you! And I saw how much you needed somebody! But I couldn't! I was dragged out of that house so quick I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to you!" She took a deep breath and went on. "I cried for _years, _Derek. I couldn't stop thinking about you and wondering if you were safe, or how bad things could possibly be going for you," She waited for a second, and tried to make sure he was still on the phone. Once she heard him take a breath, she continued. "That's why I tried so hard to help you. That's why I wanted to get you into rehab! I felt like it was my fault you were the way you were! I felt like if I could have been there for you, you would have made it out fine, and life wouldn't be so hard for you!" She screamed, then hung up the phone.

She sat there and just cried for a few minutes before she heard a small knock on the door. She couldn't imagine who would be knocking on the door at 12:30 in the morning, until she opened it.

She saw him standing there with tears in his eyes, and obvious pain all over him, but before she could even say anything, his lips where resting gently against hers.

As he ripped them apart he stared directly in her eyes. "I didn't leave." He said, simply and quietly. "What?" She whispered, a little confused.

"I was just sitting on the step." He said, causing her to make a weak smile.

He sighed and smiled as well. "I got two steps away, then I realized I couldn't do it. There was no way I could leave." He whispered, walking her over to the couch.

"I'm stupid," She confessed. "And mean, and hateful, and hurtful..."

"And beautiful." Derek finished for her. "So now that you know I cant, and wont leave... Lets try this again." Derek said, slowly moving off of the couch and sliding onto the floor. He got back down onto one knee, the same way that he was 3 hours ago.

"Casey McDonald, you are my life, my world, my heart, and everything in between. I cant stand to live a day without you, and I don't care if I'm jumping into this. I want to have you for forever, and not a day less. I can't be without you, If you live to be 100, I want to be 100 minus a day, so that I never have to live without you. Will you marry me?" Derek said, the smirk never leaving his face.

A (happy) tear slid down Casey's face and a smile ran across her lips. "Even though you stole that last line from 'Whinie The Pooh', Yes, Derek, I will marry you, and we will make it through the rest of this mess together."

**_THE END!!_**

**& Here is a sneak peak into the sequel, 'The Rest Of This Mess'**

-- TEN YEARS LATER --

"DAD!" 15-year-old Jamie screamed from the top of the steps. She waited until she heard her father heavily sigh, and throw back an annoyed "What?" From his spot on the couch, in front of the TV, which was playing the most important hockey game of the season.

"Payton just hung up the phone on Todd!" She yelled, stomping down the steps, and getting louder as she got closer to the bottom. It made her even more mad when she saw that her father's eyes were still glued to the TV.

"Good..." He said, shifting a little and clearing his throat. '_I hate that kid.'_ He said under his breath, but nowhere near loud enough for Jamie to hear him, he would then get a 20 minute speech about how, just because he's 16, and has 2 tattoo's, hes really not a bad guy.

"Good!?" She repeated, much louder than Derek. "Where's mom!? I'll go talk to her! She actually cares about my problems!" She yelled as she stomped into the kitchen, her footsteps still able to be heard by China.

"Yes, Jamie?" Casey asked, before Jamie even opened her mouth. She already heard her complaining to Derek.

Casey sat neatly at the kitchen table, trying to finish a book she started almost a year ago. "Payton hung up the phone on Todd!" She said, plopping down in the chair next to her, causing Casey to drop the book, and loose her page, for the second time today, and the fifteenth time this month. She sadly sighed and looked up into Jamie's big, almost tear-filled, brown eyes. "How did he manage to do that?" She asked as she rubbed the back of her neck, and held her eyes shut tight.

"I had to pee, so I left the phone in my room. I guess the little _ass_ snuck in and hung it up." Jamie said, anger filling each word.

"First off, watch your mouth. Second, your brother is 9, that's normal stuff that 9-year-olds do. Even if I told him to stop, he would keep doing things like that," She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Just call Todd back." Casey said. She was obviously tired, and drained, but that didn't stop Jamie's bitching.

"So, what!? That's it!? Hes just going to get off with nothing!?" Jamie yelled, throwing her arms in the air, and over reacting, like normal.

Derek walked into the room, right behind Payton. Payton's big blue eyes were filled with amusement, and his smirk, which was almost identical to Derek's, was going ear-to-ear.

"I swear, shes going to be an actress, we should get her lessons." Payton said to his father. He didn't mean for Jamie to hear, but the dirty look on her face told him that she did.

"She doesn't even need them! We should just sign her up for a movie right now." Derek said, pouring orange juice into a small glass.

Jamie couldn't help but laugh.

"Sure, you laugh at him, but when I do something funny, you make sure the whole block knows about it." Payton said, letting his head fall back and his long brown hair to fall off of his face, and out of his eyes.

"Because dad, unlike you, is a funny person." Jamie shot back, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "So, are you going to do something or not?" Jamie asked, looking back and fourth from Derek and Casey.

"Okay, Payton, you can't go outside today or tomorrow." Derek said from his spot at the counter.

"What!? That's not fair! Kira just got back from vacation!" Payton yelled, holding out his arms and looking outraged.

"Who is Kira?" Derek and Casey both asked at the same time, concern filling both of their voices.

"The girl I like... And she likes me back." Payton said smoothly, shrugging, and making old thoughts of Derek run through Casey's head.

"Kira is 14, you dork." Jamie said coldly.

**Hey! hoped you liked it! If you go to my new story 'The Rest Of This Mess', you can read more, that is the sequel to this story. It will focus on new problems, while trying to patch up the old ones. Some old 'habits' will come back and Casey and Derek will have to deal with people from the past, and their _still _disapproving families. Their finding it hard to raise a teenager who is dating a complete trouble-marker, and their having trouble hiding the past from their children, plus, it really doesn't help that Jamie is following in Derek's old footsteps. PLEASE READ!**


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